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The  Temple 


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Ow  THE  5«i.  OF  CtoLiLKK.— Page  28. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE: 


A  TALE  OF  THE  FALL  OF  JERUSALEM. 


By  G.  a.  HENTY, 

AvihoT  of  '^The  Young  Cart/iaginian,"  "With  Clive  in  India,'- 

"The  Lion  of  the  North"  "  With  Wolfe  in  Canada" 

"Bonnie  Prince  Cho/rlie"  etc.,  etc. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


A.  L.  BUET  COMPANY,  PUBLISHERS, 
62-58  DuANE  Street,  New  Yokk. 


PREFACE. 


CoUega 
Library 

PR 
H37f 


My  Dea.r  Lads: 

In  all  histor}'^  there  is  no  drama  of  more  terrible 
interest  than  that  which  terminated  with  the  total 
destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Had  the  whole  Jewish 
nation  joined  in  the  desperate  resistance  made  by  a 
section  of  it  to  the  overwhelming  strength  of  Rome, 
the  world  would  have  had  no  record  of  truer 
patriotism  than  that  displayed  by  this  small  people 
in  their  resistance  to  the  forces  of  the  mistress  of 
the  world.  Unhappily  the  reverse  of  this  was  the 
case.  Except  in  the  defense  of  Jotapata  and 
Gamala,  it  can  scarcely  be  said  that  the  Jewish 
people  as  a  body  offered  any  serious  resistance  to 
the  arms  of  Rome.  The  defenders  of  Jerusalem 
were  a  mere  fraction  of  its  population,  a  fraction 
composed  almost  entirely  of  turbulent  characters 
and  robber  bands,  who  fought  with  the  fury  of 
desperation,  after  having  placed  themselves  beyond 
the  pale  of  forgiveness  or  mercy  by  the  deeds  of 
unutterable  cruelty  with  which  they  had  desolated 
the  city  before  its  siege  by  the  Romans.  They 
fought,  it  is  true,  with  unflinching  courage,  a 
courage  never  surpassed  in  history,  but  it  was  the 
courage   of   despair,  and   its   result  was  to   bring 


iv  PMEFACB. 

destruction  upon  the  whole  population  as  well  as 
upon  themselves.  Fortunately  the  narrative  of 
Josephus,  an  eye-witness  of  the  events  which  he 
describes,  has  come  down  to  us;  and  it  is  the  store- 
house from  which  all  subsequent  histories  of  the 
events  have  been  drawn.  It  is  no  doubt  tinged 
throughout  by  his  desire  to  stand  well  with  his 
patrons  Yespasian  and  Titus,  but  there  is  no  reason 
to  doubt  the  accuracy  of  his  descriptions.  I  have 
endeavored  to  present  you  with  as  vivid  a  picture 
as  possible  of  the  events  of  the  war  without  en- 
cumbering the  story  with  details,  and  except  as 
regards  the  exploits  of  John  of  Gamala,  of  whom 
Josephus  says  nothing,  have  strictly  followed  in 
every  particular  the  narrative  of  the  historian. 
Yours  sincerely, 

G.  A.  HENTY. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.  PAflfB 

The  Lake  of  Tiberias 1 

CHAPTER  II. 
A  Storm  on  Galilee. . .  ^ 24 

CHAPTER  III. 
The  Revolt  Against  Rome 48 

CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Lull  Before  the  Storm 71 

CHAPTER  V. 
The  Siege  of  Jotapata 92 

CHAPTER  VI. 
The  Fall  of  the  City 115 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Massacre  on  the  Lake 143 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Among  the  Mountains 168 

CHAPTER  IX. 
The  Storming  of  Gamala 186 

CHAPTER  X. 
Captives 209 


vi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XL  pagb 

A  Tale  of  Qvil  Strife 247 

CHAPTER  Xn. 
Desultory  Fighting 267 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Test  of  Devotion 293 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Jerusalem 817 

CHAPTER  XV. 
The  Siege  is  Begun 340 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Subterranean  Passage 863 

CHAPTER  XVII.    ' 
The  Capture  of  the  Temple 886 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Slaves. , .   410 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
At  Rome 437 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE : 

A  TALE  OF  THE  FALL  OF  JERUSALEM. 


CHAPTEK  I. 

THE   LAKE   OF   TIBEEIA8. 

"  Deeaming,  John,  as  usual  ?  I  never  saw  such  a 
boy.  You  are  always  in  extremes,  either  tiring 
yourself  out  or  lying  half-asleep." 

"  I  was  not  half-asleep,  mother ;  I  was  looking 
at  the  lake." 

"  I  cannot  see  much  to  look  at,  John  ;  it's  just  as 
it  has  been  ever  since  you  were  born  or  since  I  was 
born." 

"  No,  I  suppose  there's  no  change,  mother,  but  I 
am  never  tired  of  looking  at  the  sun  shining  on  the 
ripples,  and  the  fishermen's  boats,  and  the  birds 
standing  in  the  shallows  or  flying  off  in  a  desperate 
hurry  without  any  reason  that  1  can  make  out.  Be- 
sides, mother,  when  one  is  looking  at  the  lake  one 
is  thinking  of  other  things." 

"  And  very  often  thinking  of  nothing  at  all,  my 
son." 


Z  FOE  IHE  TEMPLE. 

"  Perhaps  so,  mother  ;  but  there's  plenty  to  think 
of  in  these  times." 

"  Plenty,  John  ;  there  are  baskets  and  baskets  of 
figs  to  be  stripped  from  the  trees  and  hung  up  to 
dry  for  the  winter,  and  next  week  we  are  going  to 
begin  the  grape  harvest.  But  the  figs  are  the  prin- 
cipal matter  at  present,  and  I  think  that  it  would 
be  far  more  useful  for  you  to  go  and  help  old  Isaac 
and  his  son  in  getting  them  in  than  in  lying  there 
watching  the  lake." 

'^  I  suppose  it  would,  mother,"  the  lad  said,  rising 
briskly,  for  his  fits  of  indolence  were  by  no  means 
common,  and  as  a  rule  he  was  ready  to  assist  at 
any  work  which  might  be  going  on. 

"  I  do  not  wonder  at  John  loving  the  lake,"  his 
mother  said  to  herself  when  the  lad  had  hurried 
away.  "  It  is  a  fair  scene,  and  it  may  be,  as  Simon 
thinks,  that  a  change  may  come  over  it  before  long, 
and  that  ruin  and  desolation  may  fall  upon  us  ail." 

There  were,  indeed,  few  scenes  which  could  sur- 
pass in  tranquil  beauty  that  which  Martha,  the  wife 
of  Simon,  was  looking  upon,  the  sheet  of  sparkling 
water  with  its  low  shores  dotted  with  towns  and 
villages.  Down  the  lake,  on  the  opposite  shore, 
rose  the  walls  and  citadel  of  Tiberias,  with  many 
stately  buildings,  for  although  Tiberias  was  not 
now  the  chief  town  of  Galilee,  for  Sepphoris  had 
usurped  its  place,  it  had  been  the  seat  of  the  Eoraan 
authority,  and  the  kings  who  ruled  the  country  for 
Rome  generally  dwelt  there.  Half  a  mile  from  the 
spot  where  Martha  was  standing  rose  the  newly 
erected  walls  of  Hippos. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  ^ 

Where  the  towns  and  villages  did  not  engross  the 
shore  the  rich  orchards  and  vineyards  extended 
down  to  the  very  edge  of  the  water.  The  plain  of 
Galilee  was  a  veritable  garden  ;  here  flourished  in 
the  greatest  abundance  the  vine  and  the  fig ;  while 
the  low  hills  were  covered  with  olive  groves,  and 
the  corn  waved  thickly  on  the  rich,  fat  land.  No 
region  on  the  earth's  face  possessed  a  fairer  climate. 
The  heat  was  never  extreme ;  the  winds  blowing 
from  the  Great  Sea  brought  the  needed  moisture 
for  the  vegetation,  and  so  soft  and  equable  was  the 
air  that  for  ten  months  in  the  year  grapes  and  figs 
could  be  gathered.  The  population,  supported  by 
the  abundant  fruits  of  the  earth,  was  very  large. 
Tillages  Avhich  would  elsewhere  be  called  towns, 
for  those  containing  but  a  few  thousand  inhabitants 
were  regarded  as  small  indeed,  were  scattered 
thickly  over  the  plain,  and  few  areas  of  equal 
dimensions  could  show  a  population  approaching 
that  which  inhabited  the  plains  and  slopes  between 
the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  the  Mediterranean.  None 
could  then  have  dreamed  of  the  dangers  that  were 
to  come,  or  believe  that  this  rich  cultivation  and 
teeming  population  would  disappear,  and  that  in 
time  a  few  flocks  of  wandering  sheep  would  scarce 
be  able  to  find  herbage  growing  on  the  wastes  of 
land  which  would  take  the  place  of  this  fertile  soil. 
Certainly  no  such  thought  as  this  occurred  to  Martha 
as  she  reentered  the  house,  though  she  did  fear 
that  trouble  and  ruin  might  be  approaching. 

John  was  soon  at  work  among  the  fig-trees,  aid- 


4  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

ing  Isaac  and  his  son  Eeuben,  a  lad  of  some  fifteen 
years,  to  pick  the  soft,  luscious  fruit,  and  carry  it  to 
the  little  court-yard  shaded  from  the  rays  of  the  sun 
by  an  overhead  trellis-work  covered  with  vines  and 
almost  bending  beneath  the  purple  bunches  of 
grapes.  Miriam,  the  old  nurse,  and  four  or  five 
maid-servants,  under  the  eye  of  Martha,  tied  them 
in  rows  on  strings  and  fastened  them  to  pegs  driven 
into  that  side  of  the  house  upon  which  the  sun  beat 
down  most  hotly.  It  was  only  the  best  fruit  that 
was  so  served,  for  that  which  had  been  damaged  in 
the  picking  and  all  of  smaller  size  were  laid  on 
trays  in  the  sun.  The  girls  chatted  merrily  as  they 
worked,  for  Martha,  although  a  good  housewife, 
was  a  gentle  mistress,  and  so  long '  as  fingers  were 
busy  heeded  not  if  the  tongue  ran  on. 

"  Let  the  damsels  be  happy  while  they  ma}'^,"  she 
would  say  if  Miriam  scolded  a  little  when  the  laugh- 
ter rose  louder  than  usual.  "  Let  them  be  happy 
while  they  can  ;  who  knows  what  lies  in  the  future?" 

But  at  present  the  future  cast  no  shade  upon  the 
group,  nor  upon  a  girl  of  about  fourteen  years  old 
who  danced  in  and  out  of  the  court-yard  in  the 
highest  spirits,  now  stopping  a  few  minutes  to 
string  the  figs,  then  scampering  away  with  an 
empty  basket,  which,  when  she  reached  the  gather- 
ers, she  placed  on  her  head  and  supported  demurely 
for  a  little  while  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder  upon 
which  John  was  perched,  so  that  he  could  lay  the 
figs  in  it  without  bruising  them  ;  but  long  ere  the 
basket  was  filled  she  would  tire  of  the  work,  and 
setting  it  on  the  ground  run  back  into  the  house. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  6 

"  And  so  you  think  you  are  helping,  Mary,"  John 
said,  laughing,  when  the  girl  returned  for  the  fourth 
time  with  an  empty  basket. 

"  Helping,  John !  of  course  I  am,  ever  so  much  ; 
helping  you  and  helping  them  at  the  house,  and 
carrying  empty  baskets.  I  consider  myself  the 
most  active  of  the  party." 

"  Active,  certainly,  Mary  !  but  if  you  do  not  help 
them  in  stringing  and  hanging  the  figs  more  than 
you  help  me,  1  think  you  might  as  well  leave  it 
alone." 

"  Fie,  John !  that  is  most  ungrateful,  after  ray 
standing  here  like  a  statue  with  the  basket  on  my 
head  ready  f<  r  you  to  lay  the  figs  in." 

"  That  is  aul  very  fine  !"  John  laughed ;  "  but  be- 
fore the  basket  is  half-full  away  you  go,  and  I  have 
to  get  down  the  ladder  and  bring  up  the  basket  and 
fix  it  firmly,  and  that  without  skaking  the  figs, 
whereas  had  you  left  it  alone  altogether  I  could 
have  brought  up  the  empty  basket  and  fixed  it 
close  by  my  hand  without  any  trouble  at  all." 

"  You  are  an  ungrateful  boy,  and  you  know  how 
bad  it  is  to  be  ungrateful!  and  after  my  making 
myself  so  hot,  too  !"  Miriam  said.  "  My  face  is  as 
red  as  fire,  and  that  is  all  the  thanks  I  get.  Very 
well,  then,  I  shall  go  into  the  house  and  leave  you 
to  your  own  bad  reflections." 

"  You  need  not  do  that,  Mary  ;  you  can  sit  down 
in  the  shade  there  and  watch  us  at  work,  and  eat 
figs,  and  get  yourself  cool,  all  at  the  same  time. 
The  sun  will  be  down  in  another  half  hour  and 
then  I  shall  be  free  to  amuse  you." 


6  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  Amuse  me,  indeed !"  the  girl  said  indignantly 
as  she  sat  down  on  the  bank  to  which  John  had 
pointed.  "  You  mean  that  I  shall  amuse  you ;  that 
is  what  it  generally  comes  to.  If  it  wasn't  for  me 
I  am  sure  very  often  there  would  not  be  a  word 
said  when  we  ai*e  out  together." 

"  Perhaps  that  is  true,"  John  agreed ;  "  but  you 
see  there  is  so  much  to  think  about." 

"  And  so  you  choose  the  time  when  you  are  with 
me  to  think  !  Thank  you,  John  !  You  had  better 
think  at  present ;"  and  rising  from  the  seat  she  had 
just  taken  she  walked  back  to  the  house  again,  re- 
gardless of  John's  explanations  and  shouts. 

Old  Isaac  chuckled  on  his  tree  close  by. 

"  They  are  ever  too  sharp  for  us  in  words,  John. 
The  damsel  is  3'^ounger  than  you  by  full  two  years, 
and  yet  she  can  always  put  you  in  the  wrong  with 
her  tongue." 

"  She  puts  meanings  to  my  words  which  I  never 
thought  of,"  John  said,  "  and  is  angered,  or  pretends 
to  be,  for  I  never  know  which  it  is,  at  things  which 
she  has  coined  out  of  her  own  mind,  for  they  had 
no  place  in  mine." 

"  Boys'  wits  are  always  slower  than  girls',"  the 
old  man  said ;  "  a  girl  has  more  fancy  in  her  little 
finger  than  a  boy  in  his  whole  body.  Your  cousin 
laughs  at  you  because  she  sees  that  you  take  it  all 
seriously,  and  wonders  in  her  mind  how  it  is  her 
thoughts  run  ahead  of  yours.  But  I  love  the  dam- 
sel, and  so  do  all  in  the  house,  for  if  she  be  a  little 
wayward  at  times,  she  is  bright  and  loving,  and  has 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE,  7 

cheered  the  house  since  she  came  here.  Your  father 
is  not  a  man  of  many  words,  and  Martha,  as  be- 
comes her  age,  is  staid  and  quiet,  though  she  is  no 
enemy  of  mirth  and  cheerfulness ;  but  the  loss  of  all 
her  children  save  you  has  saddened  her,  and  I  think 
she  must  often  have  pined  that  she  had  not  a  girl, 
and  she  has  brightened  much  since  the  damsel  came 
here  three  years  ago.  But  the  sun  is  sinking  and 
my  basket  is  full ;  there  will  be  enough  for  the 
maids  to  go  on  with  in  the  morning  until  we  can 
supply  them  with  more." 

John's  basket  was  not  full,  but  he  was  well  con- 
tent to  stop,  and  descending  their  ladders  the  three 
returned  to  the  house. 

Simon  of  Gadez,  for  that  was  the  name  of  his 
farm  and  the  little  fishing  village  close  by  on  the 
shore,  was  a  prosperous  and  well-to-do  man.  His 
land,  like  that  of  all  around  him,  had  come  dowm 
from  father  to  son  through  long  generations,  for 
the  law  by  which  all  mortgages  were  cleared  off 
every  seven  years  prevented  those  who  might  be 
disposed  to  idleness  and  extravagance  from  ruining 
themselves  and  their  children.  Every  man  dwelt 
upon  the  land  which,  as  eldest  son,  he  had  inher- 
ited, while  the  younger  sons,  taking  their  smaller 
share,  would  settle  in  the  towns  or  villages  and  be- 
come traders  or  fishermen  according  to  their  bent 
and  means. 

There  were  poor  in  Palestine,  for  there  will  be 
poor  everywhere  so  long  as  human  nature  remains 
as  it  is,  and  some  men   are  idle  and  self-indulgent, 


8  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

while  others  are  industrious  and'  thrifty  ;  but  tak- 
ing it  as  a  whole  there  were,  thanks  to  the  wise 
provisions  of  their  laws,  no  people  on  the  face  of 
the  earth  so  generally  comfortable  and  well-to-do. 
They  grumbled,  of  course,  over  the  exactions  of  the 
tax-collectors — exactions  due  not  to  the  contribu- 
tion which  was  paid  by  the  province  to  imperial 
Kome,  but  to  the  luxury  and  extravagance  of  their 
kings  and  to  the  greed  and  corruption  of  the  offi- 
cials. But  in  spite  of  this  the  people  of  rich  and 
prosperous  Galilee  could  have  lived  in  contentment 
and  happiness  had  it  not  been  for  the  factions  in 
their  midst. 

On  reaching  the  house  John  found  that  his  father 
bad  just  returned  from  Hippos,  wljither  he  had  gone 
on  business.  He  nodded  when  the  lad  entered  with 
his  basket^ 

"  I  have  hired  eight  men  in  the  market  to-day  to 
come  out  to-morrow  to  aid  in  gathering  in  the  figs," 
he  said,  "  and  your  mother  has  just  sent  down  to 
get  some  of  the  fishermen's  maidens  to  come  in  to 
help  her ;  it  is  time  that  we  had  done  with  them, 
and  we  will  then  set  about  the  vintage.  Let  us  reap 
while  we  can  ;  there  is  no  saying  what  the  morrow 
will  bring  forth.  Wife,  add  something  to  the  even- 
ing meal,  for  the  Kabbi  Solomon  Ben  Manasseh  will 
sup  with  us  and  sleep  here  to-night." 

John  saw  that  his  father  looked  graver  than 
usual ;  but  he  knew  his  duty  as  a  son  too  well  to 
think  of  asking  any  questions,  and  he  busied  himself 
for  a  time  in  laying  out  the  figs  on  trays,  knowing 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  Q: 

that  otherwise  their  own  weight  would  crush  the 
soft  fruit  before  the  morning,  and  bruise  the  tender 
skins. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  the  quick  footsteps  of 
a  donkey  were  heard  approaching.  John  ran  out, 
and  having  saluted  the  rabbi,  held  the  animal  while 
his  father  assisted  him  to  alight,  and  welcoming  him 
to  his  house,  led  him  within.  The  meal  was  soon 
served.  It  consisted  of  fish  from  the  lake,  kid's 
flesh  seethed  in  milk,  and  fruit.  Only  the  men  sat 
down  ;  the  rabbi  sitting  upon  Simon's  right  hand, 
John  on  his  left,  and  Isaac  and  his  son  at  the  other 
end  of  the  table.  Martha's  maids  waited  upon  them, 
for  it  was  not  the  custom  for  the  women  to  sit  down 
■with  the  men ;  and  although  in  the  country  this 
usage  was  not  strictly  observed,  and  Martha  and 
little  Mary  generally  took  their  meals  with  Simon 
and  John,  they  did  not  do  so  if  any  guest  was 
present. 

In  honor  of  the  visitor  a  white  cloth  had  been  laid 
on  the  table.  All  ate  with  their  fingers,  two  dishes 
of  each  kind  being  placed  on  the  table — one  at  each 
end.  But  few  words  were  said  during  the  meal. 
After  it  was  concluded  Isaac  and  his  son  withdrew, 
and  presently  Martha  and  Mary,  having  taken  their 
meal  in  the  women's  apartments,  came  into  the 
room.  Mary  made  a  little  face  at  John  to  signify 
her  disapproval  of  the  visitor,  whose  coming  would 
compel  her  to  keep  silent  all  the  evening.  But 
though  John  smiled,  he  made  no  sign  of  sympathy, 
for  indeed  he  was  anxious  to  hear  the  news  from 


10  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

without,  and  doubted  not  that  he  should  learn  mach 
from  the  rabbi. 

Solomon  Ben  Manasseh  was  a  man  of  considera- 
ble influence  in  Galilee.  He  was  a  tall,  stern-look- 
ing old  man,  with  bushy  black  eyebrows,  deep-set 
eyes,  and  a  long  beard  of  black  hair  streaked  with 
gray.  He  was  said  to  have  acquired  much  of  the 
learning  of  the  Gentiles,  among  whom  at  Antioch  he 
had  dwelt  for  some  years  ;  but  it  was  to  his  powers 
as  a  speaker  that  he  owed  his  influence.  It  was  the 
tongue  in  those  days  that  ruled  men,  and  there  were 
few  who  could  lash  a  crowd  to  fury,  or  still  their 
wrath  when  excited,  better  than  Solomon  Ben  Ma- 
nasseh. For  some  time  they  talked  upon  different 
subjects — on  the  corn-harvest  and  vintage,  the  prob- 
able amount  of  taxation,  the  marriage  feast  which 
was  to  take  place  in  the  following  week  at  the  house 
of  one  of  the  principal  citizens  of  Hippos,  and  other 
matters.  But  at  last  Simon  broached  the  subject 
which  was  uppermost  in  all  their  thoughts. 

"  And  the  news  from  Tiberias,  you  sa}'^,  is  bad, 
rabbi  ?" 

"  The  news  from  Tiberias  is  always  bad,  friend 
Simon ;  in  all  the  land  there  is  not  a  city  which 
will  compare  with  it  in  the  wrong-headedness  of  its 
people  and  the  violence  of  its  seditions,  and  little 
can  be  hoped,  as  far  as  I  can  see,  so  long  as  our 
good  governor,  Joseph  us,  continues  to  treat  the 
malefactors  so  leniently.  A  score  of  times  they 
have  conspired  against  his  life,  and  as  often  has  he 
eluded  them,  for  the  Lord  has  been  ever  with  him. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  11 

But  each  time,  instead  of  punish ing^  those  who  have 
brought  about  these  disorders,  he  lets  them  go  free, 
trusting  always  that  they  will  repent  them  of  their 
ways,  although  he  sees  that  his  kindness  is  thrown 
away  and  that  they  grow  even  bolder  and  more 
bitter  against  him  after  each  failure. 

"  All  Galilee  is  with  him.  Whenever  he  gives 
the  word  every  man  takes  up  his  arras  and  follows 
him  ;  and  did  he  but  give  the  order  they  would 
level  those  proud  towns  Tiberias  and  Sepphoris 
to  the  ground,  and  tear  down  stone  by  stone  the 
stronghold  of  John  of  Gischala.  But  he  will  suffer 
them  to  do  nothing — not  a  hair  of  the^e  traitors' 
heads  is  to  be  touched,  nor  their  property  to  the 
value  of  a  penny  be  interfered  with.  I  call  such 
lenity  culpable.  The  law  ordains  punishment  for 
those  who  disturb  the  people.  We  know  what 
befell  those  who  rebelled  against  Moses.  Josephus 
has  the  valor  and  the  wisdom  of  King  David,  but  it 
were  well  if  he  had,  like  our  great  king,  a  Joab  by 
his  side,  who  would  smite  down  traitors  and  spare 
not." 

"  It  is  his  only  fault,"  Simon  said.  "  What  a 
change  has  taken  place  since  he  was  sent  hither 
from  Jerusalem  to  take  up  our  government!  All 
abuses  have  been  repressed,  extortion  .has  been  put 
down,  taxes  have  been  lightened.  We  eat  our  bread 
in  peace  and  comfort  and  each  man's  property  is 
his  own.  Never  was  there  such  a  change  as  he  has 
wrought,  and  were  it  not  for  John  of  Gischala, 
Justus   the   son   of  Piscus,  and    Jesus   the   son  of 


12  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

8apphias  all  would  go  quietly  and  well ;  but  these 
men  are  continually  stirring  up  the  people,  who  in 
their  folly  listen  to  them,  and  conspiring  to  murder 
Josephus  and  seize  upen  his  government." 

"  Already  he  has  had  more  than  once  to  reduce 
to  submission  Tiberias  and  Sepphoris,  happily  with- 
out bloodshed.  For  when  the  people  of  these  cities 
saw  that  all  Galilee  was  with  Josephus,  they  opened 
their  gates  and  submitted  themselves  to  his  mercy. 
Truly  in  Leviticus  it  is  said  : '  Thou  shalt  not  avenge 
nor  bear  any  grudge  against  the  children  of  thy 
people,  but  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.' 
But  Josephus  carries  this  beyond  reason^  Seeing 
that  his  adversaries  by  no  means  observe  this  law, 
he  should  remember  that  it  is  al^o  said  that  'He 
that  taketh  the  sword  shall  fall  by  the  sword,'  and 
that  the  law  lays  down  punishments  for  the  trans- 
gressors. Our  judges  and  kings  slew  those  who 
troubled  the  land  and  destroyed  them  utterly, 
and  Josephus  does  wrong  to  depart  from  their 
teaching." 

"  I  know  not  where  he  could  have  learned  such 
notions  of  mercy  to  his  enemies  and  to  the  enemies 
of  the  land,"  Simon  said.  "  He  has  been  to  Rome, 
but  it  is  not  among  the  Romans  that  he  will  have 
found  that  it  is  right  to  forgive  those  who  rise  up 
in  rebellion." 

"  Yes,  he  was  in  Rome  when  he  was  twenty-six 
years  old,"  Solomon  said.  "He  went  thither  to 
plead  the  cause  of  certain  priests  who  had  been 
thrown  into  bonds  by  Felix  and  sent  to  Rome.     It 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  13 

was  a  perilous  voyage,  for  his  ship  was  wrecked  in 
the  Adriatic,  and  of  six  hundred  men  who  were  on 
board  only  eighty  were  picked  up,  after  floating 
and  swimming  all  night,  by  a  ship  of  Cyrene.  He 
was  not  long  in  Rome,  for  being  introduced  to 
Poppaea,  the  w4fe  of  Caesar,  he  used  his  interest 
with  her  and  obtained  the  release  of  those  for  whose 
sake  he  went  there.  I^o,  if  he  gained  these  ideas 
from  any  one,  he  learned  them  from  one  Banus,  an 
Ascetic,  of  the  sect  of  the  Essenes,  who  lived  in  the 
desert  with  no  other  clothing  than  the  bark  and 
leaves  of  trees,  and  no  other  food  save  that  which 
grew  wild. 

"  Josephus  lived  with  him  in  like  fashion  for  three 
years,  and  doubtless  learned  all  that  was  in  his 
heart.  Banus  was  a  follower,  they  say,  of  that 
John  whom  Herod  put  to  death,  and,  for  aught  I 
know,  of  that  Jesus  who  was  crucified  two  years 
afterward  at  Jerusalem,  and  in  whom  many  people 
believed,  and  who  has  many  followers  to  this  day. 
I  have  conversed  with  some  of  them,  and  from 
what  they  tell  me  this  Jesus  taught  doctrines 
similar  to  those  which  Josephus  practices,  and 
which  he  may  have  learned  from  Banus,  without 
accepting  the  doctrines  which  the  members  of  this 
sect  hold  as  to  their  founder  being  the  promised 
Messiah  who  was  to  restore  Israel." 

"  I  too  have  talked  with  many  of  the  sect,"  Simon 
said,  "and  have  argued  with  them  on  the  folly  of 
their  belief,  seeing  that  their  founder  by  no  means 
saved  Israel,  but  was  himself  put  to  death.     From 


14  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

what  I  could  see  there  was  much  that  was  good  in 
the  doctrines  they  hold ;  but  they  have  exaggerated 
ideas,  and  are  opposed  to  all  wars,  even  to  fighting 
for  their  country,  I  hear  that  since  there  has  been 
trouble  with  Rome  most  of  them  have  departed 
altogether  out  of  the  land  so  as  to  avoid  the  neces- 
sity of  fighting." 

"  They  are  poor  creatures,"  Solomon  Ben  Manas- 
seh  said  scornfully  ;  "  but  we  need  not  talk  of  them 
now,  for  they  affect  us  in  no  way,  save  that  it  may 
be  that  Josephus  has  learned  somewhat  of  their 
doctrines  from  Banus,  and  that  he  is  thus  unduly, 
and,  as  I  think,  most  unfortunately  for  the  country, 
inclined  too  much  to  mercy,  instead  of  punishing 
the  evil-doers  as  they  deserve."    ' 

"But,  nevertheless,  rabbi,  it  seems  to  me  that 
there  has  been  good  policy  as  well  in  the  mercy 
which  Josephus  has  shown  his  foes.  You  know 
that  John  has  many  friends  in  Jerusalem,  and  that 
if  he  could  accuse  Josephus  of  slaughtering  any,  he 
would  be  able  to  make  so  strong  a  party  there  that 
he  could  obtain  the  recall  of  Josephus." 

"  We  would  not  let  him  go,"  Solomon  said  hotly. 
"Since  the  Romans  have  gone  we  submit  to  the 
supremacy  of  the  council  at  Jerusalem,  but  it  is 
only  on  sufferance.  For  long  ages  we  have  had 
nothing  to  do.  with  Judah,  and  we  are  not  disposed 
to  put  our  necks  under  their  yoke  now.  We  submit 
to  unity  because  in  the  Romans  we  have  a  common 
foe,  but  we  are  not  going  to  be  tyrannized.  Jose- 
phus  has  shown   himself   a   wise    ruler.     We   are 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  IS 

happier  under  him  than  we  have  been  for  genera- 
tions under  the  men  who  call  themselves  kings,  but 
who  are  nothing  but  Roman  satraps,  and  we  are 
not  going  to  suffer  him  to  be  taken  from  us.  Only 
let  the  people  of  Jerusalem  try  that,  and  they  will 
have  to  deal  with  all  the  men  of  Galilee." 

"  I  am  past  the  age  at  which  men  are  bound  to 
take  up  the  sword,  and  John  has  not  yet  attained 
it,  but  if  there  were  need  we  would  both  go  out  and 
fight.  What  could  they  do  ?  for  the  population  of 
Galilee  is  greater  than  that  of  Judah.  And  while 
Ave  would  tight  everj'  man  to  the  death,  the  Jews 
would  few  of  them  care  to  hazard  their  lives  only 
to  take  from  us  the  man  we  desire  to  rule  over  us. 
Still  Josephus  does  wisely  perhaps  to  give  no 
occasion  for  accusation  by  his  enemies.  There  is  no 
talk,  is  there,  rabbi,  of  any  movement  on  the  part 
of  the  Romans  to  come  against  us  in  force  ?" 

"  None  so  far  as  I  have  heard,"  the  rabbi  replied. 
"  King  Agrippa  remains  in  his  country  to  the  east, 
but  he  has  no  Roman  force  with  him  sufficient  to 
attempt  any  great  enterprise,  and  so  long  as  they 
^eave  us  alone  we  are  content." 

"  They  will  come  sooner  or  later,"  Simon  said, 
shaking  his  head.  "  They  are  busy  elsewhere. 
When  they  have  settled  with  their  other  enemies 
they  will  come  here  to  avenge  the  defeat  of  Cestius, 
to  restore  Florus,  and  to  reconquer  the  land. 
Where  Rome  has  once  laid  her  paw  she  never  lets 
slip  her  prey." 

*"  Well,  we   can    light,"  Solomon   Ben  Manasseh 


16  VOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

said  sternly.  "  Our  forefathers  won  the  land  with 
the  sword,  and  we  can  hold  it  by  the  sword." 

"  Yes,"  Martha  said  quietly,  joining  in  the  con- 
versation for  the  first  time,  "  if  God  fights  for  us 
as  he  fought  for  our. forefathers." 

"  Why  should  he  not  ?"  the  rabbi  asked  sternly. 
"  We  are  still  his  people.  We  are  faithful  to  his 
law." 

"  But  God  has  many  times  in  the  past  suffered  us 
to  fall  into  the  hands  of  our  enemies  as  a  punish- 
ment for  our  sins,"  Martha  said  quietly.  "The 
tribes  were  carried  away  into  captivit}'^.  and  are 
scattered  we  know  not  where.  The  temple  was 
destroj^ed,  and  the  people  of  Judah  dwelt  long  as 
captives  in  Babylon.  He  suffere(J  us  to  fall  under 
the  yoke  of  the  Romans.  In  his  right  time  he  will 
fight  for  us  again,  but  can  we  say  that  that  time 
has  come,  rabbi,  and  that  he  will  smite  the  Romans 
as  he  smote  the  host  of  Sennacherib  ?" 

"  That  no  man  can  say,"  the  rabbi  answered 
gloomily ;  "  time  only  will  show ;  but  whether  or 
no,  the  people  will  fight  valiantly." 

"  I  doubt  not  that  they  will  fight,"  Simon  said  ; 
"  but  many  other  nations,  to  whom  we  are  but  as  a 
handful,  have  fought  bravely,  but  have  succumbed 
to  the  might  of  Rome.  It  is  said  that  Josephus 
and  many  of  the  wisest  in  Jerusalem  were  heartily 
opposed  "to  the  tumults  against  the  Romans,  and 
that  they  only  went  with  the  people  because  they 
were  in  fear  of  their  lives ;  and  even  at  Tiberias 
many   men  of  worth   and  gravity,  such  as  Julius 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  17 

Capellus,  Herod  the  son  of  Miarus,  Herod  the  son 
of  Gamalus,  Compsus,  and  others,  are  all  strongly 
opposed  to  hostility  against  the  Romans.  And  it  is 
the  same  elsewhere.  Those  who  knovv  best  what  is 
the  might  and  power  of  Rome  would  fain  remain 
friendly  with  her.  It  is  the  ignorant  and  violent 
classes  have  led  us  into  this  strait,  from  which,  as  I 
fear,  naught  but  ruin  can  arise." 

"  I  thought  better  things  of  you,  Simon,"  the 
rabbi  said  angrily. 

"  But  j^ou  yourself  have  told  me,"  Simon  urged, 
"  that  you  thought  it  a  mad  undertaking  to  provoke 
the  vengeance  of  Rome." 

*•  1  thought  so  at  first,"  Solomon  admitted,  "  but 
now  our  hand  is  placed  on  the  plow  we  must  not 
draw  back  ;  and  I  believe  that  the  God  of  our 
fathers  will  show  his  might  before  the  heathen." 

"  I  trust  that  it  may  be  so,"  Simon  said  gravely. 
"  In  his  hand  is  all  power.  "Whether  he  will  see 
fit  to  put  it  forth  now  in  our  behalf  remains  to  be 
seen.  However,  for  the  present  we  need  not  con- 
cern ourselves  greatly  with  the  Romans.  It  may 
be  long  before  they  bring  an  army  against  us,  while 
these  seditions  here  are  at  our  ver}'^  door  and  ever 
threaten  to  involve  us  in  civil  war." 

"We  need  fear  no  civil  war,"  the  rabbi  said. 
"  The  people  of  all  Galilee,  save  the  violent  and  ill- 
disposed  in  a  few  of  the  towns,  are  all  for  Josephus. 
If  it  comes  to  force,  John  and  his  party  know  that 
they  will  be  swept  away  like  a  straw  before  the 
^yind.     The  fear  is  that  they  may  succeed  in  raur- 


18  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

(lering  Josephus,  either  by  the  knife  of  an  assassin 
or  in  one  of  these  tumults.  They  would  rather  the 
latter,  because  they  would  then  say  that  the  people 
had  torn  him  to  pieces  in  their  fury  at  his  mis- 
doings. However,  we  watch  over  him  as  much  as 
we  can,  and  his  friends  have  warned  him,  that  he 
must  be  careful,  not  only  for  his  own  sake  but  for 
that  of  all  the  people,  and  he  has  promised  that  as 
far  as  he  can  he  will  be  on  his  guard  against  these 
traitors." 

"  The  governor  should  have  a  strong  body-guard," 
John  exclaimed  impetuously,  "  as  the  Roman  gov- 
ernors had.  In  another  year  I  shall  be  of  age  to 
have  ray  name  inscribed  in  the  list  of  fighting  men, 
and  I  would  gladly  be  one  of  his  guard." 

"  You  are  neither  old  enough  to  fight  nor  to  ex- 
press an  opinion  unasked,"  Simon  said,  "  in  the 
presence  of  your  elders." 

"  Do  not  check  the  boy,"  the  rabbi  said ;  "  he  has 
fire  and  spirit,  and  the  days  are  coming  when  we 
shall  not  ask  how  old  or  how  youna:  are  those  who 
would  fight;,  so  that  they  can  but  hold  arms, 
Josephus  is  wise  not  to  have  a  military  guard, 
John,  because  the  people  love  not  such  appearance 
of  state.  His  enemies  would  use  this  as  an  argu- 
ment that  he  was  setting  himself  up  above  them.  It 
is  partly  because  he  behaves  himself  discreetly  and 
goes  about  among  them  like  a  private  person  of  no 
more  account  than  themselves  that  they  love  him. 
None  can  say  he  is  a  t3'^rant,  because  he  has  no 
means  of  tyrannizing.     His  enemies  cannot  urge  it 


FOR  THE  TEMPLR  19 

against  him  at  Jerusalem,  as  they  would  doubtless, 
do  if  they  could,  that  he  is  seeking  to  lead  Galilee 
away  from  the  rule  of  Jerusalem,  and  to  set  him- 
self up  as  its  master ;  for  to  do  this  he  would  require 
to  gather  an  army,  and  Josephus  has  not  a  single 
armed  man  at  his  service,  save  and  except  that 
when  he  appears  to  be  in  danger  many  out  of  love 
of  him  assemble  and  provide  him  escort,  No, 
Josephus  is  wise  in  that  he  affects  neither  pomp 
nor  state,  that  he  keeps  no  armed  men  around  him, 
but  trusts  to  the  love  of  the  people.  He  would  be 
wiser,  however,  did  he  seize  one  of  the  occasions 
when  the  people  have  taken  up  arms  for  him,  to 
destroy  all  those  who  make  sedition,  and  to  free 
the  country  once  and  for  all  from  the  trouble. 

"  Sedition,  should  be  always  nipped  in  the  bud. 
Lenity  in  such  a  case  is  the  most  cruel  course,  for 
it  encourages  men  to  think  that  those  in  authority 
fear  them,  and  that  they  can  conspire  without  dan- 
ger ;  and  whereas  at  first  the  blood  of  ten  men  will 
put  an  end  to  sedition,  it  needs  at  last  the  blood  of 
as  raatiy  thousands  to  restore  peace  and  order.  It 
is  good  for  a  man  to  be  merciful,  but  not  for  a  ruler, 
for  the  good  of  the  whole  people  is  placed  in  his 
hands.  The  sword  of  justice  is  given  to  him,  and 
he  is  most  merciful  who  uses  it  the  most  promptly 
against  those  who  work  sedition.  The  wise  ruler 
will  listen  to  the  prayers  of  his  people,  and  will 
grant  their  petitions  when  they  show  that  their  case 
is  hard;  but  he  will  grant  nothing  to  him  who 
asketh  with  his  sword  in   his  hand,  for  he  knows 


20  FOR  THE  TEMPLS. 

full  well  that  when  he  yields  once  he  must  yield 
always,  until  the  time  comes,  as  come  it  surely  will, 
when  he  must  resist  with  the  sword.  Then  the 
land  will  be  filled  with  blood,  whereas  in  the  begin- 
ning he  c6uld  have  avoided  all  trouble  by  refusing 
so  much  as  to  listen  to  those  who  spoke  with 
threats.  Josephus  is  a  good  man,  and  the  Lord  has 
given  him  great  gifts.  He  has  done  great  things 
for  the  land,  but  you  will  see  that  many  woes  will 
come  and  much  blood  will  be  shed  from  this  lenity 
of  his  toward  those  who  stir  up  tumults  among 
the  people." 

A  few  minutes  later  the  family  retired  to  bed,  the 
hour  being  a  late  one  for  Simon's  household,  which 
generally  retired  to  rest  a  short  time  after  the  even- 
ing meal. 

The  next  day  the  work  of  gathering  in  the  figs 
was  carried  on  earnestly  and  steadily,  with  the  aid 
of  the  workers  whom  Simon  had  hired  in  the  town, 
and  in  two  days  the  trees  were  all  stripped,  and 
strings  of  figs  hung  to  dry  from  the  boughs  of  all 
the  trees  round  the  house.  Then  the  gathering  of 
the  grapes  began.  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  little 
fishing  village  lent  their  aid — men  as  well  as  women 
and  children,  for  the  vintage  was  looked  upon  as  a 
holiday,  and  Simon  was  regarded  as  a  good  friend 
by  his  neighbors,  being  ever  ready  to  aid  them  when 
there  was  need,  judging  any  disputes  which  arose 
between  them,  and  lending  them  mone}'^  without  in- 
terest if  misfortune  came  upon  their  boats  or  nets, 
or  if  illness  befell  them ;  while  the  women  in  times 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  31 

of  sickness  or  trouble  went  naturally  to  Martha 
with  their  griefs,  and  were  assured  of  s^^rapathy, 
good  advice,  and  any  drugs  or  dainty  food  suited  to 
the  case.  The  women  and  girls  picked  the  grapes 
and  laid  them  in  baskets ;  these  were  carried  by 
men  and  emptied  into  the  vat,  where  other  men 
trod  them  down  and  pressed  out  the  juice.  Martha 
and  her  maids  saw  to  the  cooking  and  laying  out  on 
the  great  tables  in  the  court-yard  of  the  meals,  to 
which  all  sat  down  together.  Simon  superintended 
the  crushing  of  the  grapes,  and  John  worked  now 
at  one  task  and  now  at  another.  It  was  a  pretty 
scene,  and  rendered  more  gay  by  the  songs  of  the 
women  and  girls  as  they  worked,  and  the  burst  of 
merry  laughter  which  at  times  arose. 

It  lasted  four  days,  by  which  time  the  last  bunch, 
save  those  on  a  few  vines  preserved  for  eating,  was 
picked  and  crushed,  and  the  vats  in  the  cellar,  sunk 
underground  for  coolness,  were  full  to  the  brim. 
Simon  was  much  pleased  with  the  result,  and  de- 
clared that  never  in  his  memory  had  the  vine  and 
fig  harvest  turned  out  more  abundant.  The  corn 
had  long  before  been  gathered,  and  there  remained 
now  only  the  olives,  but  it  would  be  some  little 
time  yet  before  these  were  fit  to  be  gathered  and 
their  oil  extracted,  for  they  were  allowed  to  hang 
on  the  trees  until  ready  to  drop.  The  last  basket 
of  grapes  was  brought  in  with  much  ceremony,  the 
gatherers  forming  a  little  procession  and  singmg  a 
thanksgiving  hymn  as  they  walked  ;  the  evening 
meal  was  more  bounteous  even  than  usual,  and  all 


22  V^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

who  helped  carried   away    with  them  substantial 
proofs  of  Simon's  thankfulness  and  satisfaction. 

For  the  next  few  days  Simon  and  his  men  and 
Martha's  maid's  lent  their  assistance  in  getting  in 
the  vintage  of  their  neighbors,  for  each  family  had 
its  patch  of  ground  and  grew  suflBcient  grapes  and 
fruits  for  its  own  needs.  Those  in  the  village 
brought  their  grapes  to  a  vat  which  they  had  in 
common,  the  measures  of  the  grapes  being  counted 
as  they  were  put  in,  and  the  wine  afterward 
divided  in  like  proportion;  for  wine  to  be  good 
must  be  made  in  considerable  quantities. 

And  now  there  was  for  a  time  little  to  do  on  the 
farm.  Simon  superintended  the  men  who  were 
plowing  up  the  corn  stubbles  ready  for  the  sowing 
in  the  spring,  sometimes  putting  his  hand  to  the 
plow  and  driving  the  oxen.  Isaac  and  his  son 
worked  in  the  vineyard  and  garden  near  the  house, 
aided  to  some  extent  by  John,  who,  however,  was 
not  yet  called  upon  to  take  a  man's  share  in  the 
work  of  the  farm,  he  having  but  lately  finished  his 
learning  with  the  rabbi  at  the  school  in  Hippos. 
Still  he  worked  steadily  every  morning,  and  in  the 
afternoon  generally  went  out  on  the  lake  with  the 
fishermen,  with  whom  he  was  a  great  favorite. 
This  was  not  to  last  long,  for  at  seventeen  he  was 
to  join  his  father  regularly  in  the  management  of 
the  farm,  and  indeed  the  Rabbi  Solomon,  who  was  a 
frequent  guest,  was  of  opmion  that  Simon  gave  the 
boy  too  much  license,  and  that  he  ought  already  to 
be  doing  man's  work  5  but  Simon  when  urged  by 
him  said : 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  23 

"I  know  that  at  his  age  I  was  working  hard, 
rabbi,  but  the  lad  lias  studied  diligentl}'  and  1  have 
a  good  report  of  him,  and  I  think  it  well  that  at  his 
age  the  bow  should  be  unbent  somewhat;  besides, 
who  knows  what  is  before  us !  I  will  let  the  lad 
have  as  much  pleasure  from  his  life  as  he  can.  The 
storm  is  approaching ;  let  him  play  while  the  sun 
shines." 


2*  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 


CHAPTER  II. 


A    STORM    ON    GALILEE. 


One  day  after  the  mid-day  meal  John  said . 
^''  Mary,  Raphael  and  his  brother  have  taken  the  big 
boat  and  gone  off  with  fish  to  Tiberias,  and  have 
told  me  that  I  can  take  the  small  boat  if  I  will. 
Ask  my  mother  to  let  you  off  your  task  and  come 
out  with  me.  It  is  a  fortnight  since  we  had  a  row 
on  the  lake  together." 

"  I  was  beginning  to  think  that  you  were  never 
going  to  ask  me  again,  John ;  and,  only  I  should 
punish  myself,  I  would  say  you  nay.  There  have 
you  been  going  out  fishing  every  afternoon,  and 
leaving  me  at  home  to  spin ;  and  it  is  all  the  worse 
because  your  mother  has  said  that  the  time  is  fast 
coming  when  I  must  give  up  wandering  about  like 
a  child,  and  must  behave  myself  like  a  woman. 
Oh,  dear,  how  tiresome  it  will  be  when  there  will 
be  nothing  to  do  but  to  sit  and  spin,  and  to  look 
after  the  house,  and  to  walk  instead  of  running 
when  I  am  out,  and  to  behave  like  a  grown-up 
person  altogether !" 

"  You  are  almost  grown-up,"  John  said  :  "you  are 
taller  now  than  anj  of  the  maids   except   Zillah ; 


FOB  TBE  TEMPLE.  25 

but  I  shall  be  sorry  to  see  you  growing  staid  and 
solemn.  And  it  was  selfish  of  rae  not  to  ask  you  to 
go  out  before,  but  I  really  did  not  think  of  it.  The 
fishermen  have  been  working  hard  to  make  up  for 
the  time  lost  during  the  harvest,  and  I  have  really 
been  useful  helping  them  with  their  nets,  and  this 
is  the  last  year  I  shall  have  my  liberty.  But  come, 
don't  let's  be  wasting  time  in  talking ;  run  in  and 
get  my  mother's  permission,  and  then  join  me  on 
the  shore.  I  will  take  some  grapes  down  for  you 
to  eat,  for  the  sun  is  hot  to-day  and  there  is  scarce 
a  breath  of  wind  on  the  water." 

A  few  minutes  later  the  young  pair  stood  together 
by  the  side  of  the  boat. 

"Your  mother  made  all  sorts  of  objections," 
Mary  said,  laughing ;  "  and  I  do  think  she  won't  let 
me  come  again.  I  don't  think  she  would  have  done 
it  to-day  if  Miriam  had  not  stood  up  for  me  and 
said  that  I  was  but  a  child  though  I  was  so  tall,  and 
that,  as  you  were  very  soon  going  to  work  with 
your  father,  she  thought  that  it  was  no  use  in  mak- 
ing the  change  before  that." 

"  What  nonsense  it  all  is !"  John  said.  "  Besides, 
you  know  it  is  arranged  that  in  a  few  months  we 
are  to  be  betrothed  according  to  the  wishes  of  your 
parents  and  mine.  It  would  have  been  done  long 
ago  only  my  father  and  mother  do  not  approve  of 
young  betrothals,  and  think  it  better  to  wait  to 
see  if  the  young  ones  like  each  other;  and  I  think 
that  is  quite  right,  too,  in  most  cases — only,  of  course, 
living  here  as  you  have   done  for   the   last  three 


26  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

years,  since  your  father  and  mother  died,  there  was 
no  fear  of  our  not  liking  each  other." 

"  Well,  you  see,"  Mary  said  as  she  sat  in  the  stern 
of  the  boat  while  John  rowed  it  quietly  along,  "  it 
might  have  been  just  the  other  way  :  when  people 
don't  see  anything  of  each  other  till  they  are  be- 
trothed by  their  parents,  they  can't  dislike  each 
other  very  much  ;  whereas  when  they  get  to  know 
each  other,  if  they  are  disagreeable  they  might  get 
to  almost  hate  each  other." 

"  Yes,  there  is  something  in  that,"  John  agreed. 
"  Of  course,  in  our  case  it  is  all  right,  because  we  do 
like  each  other — we  couldn't  have  liked  each  other 
more,  I  think,  if  we  had  been  brother  and  sister  ; 
but  it  seems  to  me  that  sometimes  it  must  be  horrid 
when  a  boy  is  told  by  his  parents  that  he  is  to  be 
betrothed  to  a  girl  he  has  never  seen.  You  see,  it 
isn't  as  if  it  were  for  a  short  time,  but  for  all  one's 
life.     It  must  be  awful !" 

"  Awful !"  Mary  agreed  heartily  ;  "  but  of  course 
it  would  have  to  be  done." 

"  Of  course,"  John  said,  the  possibility  of  a  lad 
refusing  to  obey  his  parents'  commands  not  even 
occurring  to  him.  "  Still,  it  doesn't  seem  to  me 
quite  right  that  one  should  have  no  choice  in  so  im- 
portant a  matter.  Of  course  w^hen  one's  got  a  father 
and  mother  like  mine,  who  would  be  sure  to  think 
only  of  making  me  happy,  and  not  of  the  amount 
of  dowry  or  anything  of  that  sort,  it  would  be  all 
right ;  but  with  some  parents  it  would  be  dreadful," 

For  some  time  not  a   word    was  spoken,  both  of 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  27 

them  meditating  over  the  unpleasantness  of  being 
forced  to  marry  some  one  they  disliked.  Then, 
finding  the  subject  too  difficult  for  them,  they  began 
to  talk  about  other  things,  stopping  sometimes  to 
see  the  fishermen  haul  up  their  nets,  for  there  were 
a  number  of  boats  out  on  the  lake.  They  rowed 
down  as  far  as  Tiberias,  and  there  John  ceased  row- 
ing, and  they  sat  chatting  over  the  wealth  and 
beauty  of  that  city,  which  John  had  often  visited 
with  his  father,  but  which  Mary  had  never  entered. 
Then  John  turned  the  head  of  the  boat  up  the 
lake  and  again  began  to  row,  but  scarcely  had  he 
dipped  his  oar  into  the  water  when  he  exclaimed  : 

"  Look  at  that  black  cloud  rising  at  the  other  end 
of  the  lake  !     Why  did  you  not  tell  me,  Mary  ?" 

"  How  stupid  of  me,"  she  exclaimed,  "  not  to  have 
kept  my  eyes  open  !" 

He  bent  to  his  oars  and  made  the  boat  move 
through  the  water  at  a  very  different  rate  to  that 
at  which  she  had  before  traveled. 

"Most  of  the  boats  have  gone,"  Mary  said  pres- 
ently, "  and  the  rest  are  all  rowing  to  the  shore, 
and  the  clouds  are  coming  up  very  fast,"  she  added, 
looking  round. 

"  We  are  going  to  have  a  storm,"  John  said  ;  "  it 
will  be  upon  us  long  before  we  get  back.  I  shall 
make  for  the  shore,  Mary.  We  must  leave  the  boat 
there  and  take  shelter  for  awhile,  and  then  walk 
home.  It  will  not  be  more  than  four  miles  to 
walk." 

But  though  he  spoke  cheerfully,  John  knew  enough 


28  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

of  the  sudden  storms  that  burst  upon  the  Sea  of 
Galilee  to  be  aware  that  long  before  he  could  cross 
the  mile  and  a  half  of  water  which  separated  them 
from  the  eastern  shore  the  storm  would  be  upon 
them  ;  and  indeed  they  were  not  more  than  half- 
way when  it  burst. 

The  sky  was  already  covered  with  black  clouds  ;  a 
great  darkness  gathered  round  them ;  then  came  a 
heavy  downpour  of  rain ;  and  then  with  a  sudden 
burst  the  wind  smote  them.  It  was  useless  now  to 
try  to  row,  for  the  oars  would  have  been  twisted 
from  his  hands  in  a  moment ;  and  John  took  the 
helm,  and  told  Mary  to  lie  down  in  the  bottom  of 
the  boat.  He  had  already  turned  the  boat's  head 
up  the  lake,  the  direction  in  which  the  storm  was 
traveling. 

The  boat  sprang  forward  as  if  it  had  received  a 
blow  when  the  gale  struck  it.  John  had  more  than 
once  been  out  on  the  lake  with  the  fishermen  when 
sudden  storms  had  come  up,  and  knew  what  was 
best  to  be  done.  When  he  had  laid  in  his  oars  he 
had  put  them  so  that  the  blades  stood  partly  up 
above  the  bow  and  caught  the  wind  somewhat,  and 
he  himself  crouched  down  in  the  bottom,  with  his 
head  below  the  gunwale  and  his  hand  on  the  tiller ; 
so  that  the  tendency  of  the  boat  was  to  drive 
straight  before  the  wind.  With  a  strong  crew  he 
knew  that  he  could  have  rowed  obliquely  toward 
the  shore,  but  alone  his  strength  could  have  done 
nothing  to  keep  the  heavy  boat  off  her  course. 

The  sea  rose  as  if  by  magic,  and  the  spray  was 


FOE  THJS  TEMPLE.  39 

soon  dashing  over  them  ;  each  wave,  as  it  followed 
the  boat,  rising  higher  and  higher.  The  shores 
were  no  longer  visible,  and  the  crests  of  the  waves 
seemed  to  gleam  with  a  pallid  light  in  the  darkness 
•which  surrounded  them.  John  sat  quietly  in  the 
bottom  of  the  boat,  with  one  hand  on  the  tiller  and 
the  other  arm  round  Mary,  who  was  crouched  up 
against  him.  She  had  made  no  cry  or  exclamation 
from  the  moment  the  gale  struck  them. 

"  Are  we  getting  near  shore  ?"  she  asked  at  last. 

"  No,  Mary  ;  we  are  running  straight  before  the 
wind,  which  is  blowing  right  up  the  lake.  There  is 
nothing  to  be  done  but  to  keep  straight  before  it." 

Mary  had  seen  many  storms  on  the  lake,  and 
knew  into  what  a  fury  its  waters  were  lashed  in  a 
tempest  such  as  was  now  upon  them. 

"  We  are  in  God's  hands,  John,"  she  said  with  the 
quiet  resignation  of  her  race.  "  He  can  save  us  if 
be  will ;  let  us  pray  to  him." 

John  nodded,  and  for  a  few  minutes  no  word  was 
spoken. 

"  Can  I  do  anything  ?"  Mary  asked  presently  as  a 
wave  struck  the  stern  and  threw  a  mass  of  water 
into  the  boat. 

"  Yes,"  John  replied ;  "  take  that  earthen  pot  and 
bail  out  the  water." 

John  had  no  great  hope  that  they  would  live 
through  the  gale,  but  he  thought  it  better  for  the 
girl  to  be  kept  busily  employed.  She  bailed  stead- 
ily ;  but  fast  as  she  worked  the  water  came  in  faster, 
for  each  wave,  as  it  swept  past  them,   broke  on 


30  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

board.  So  rapidly  were  they  traveling  that  John 
had  the  greatest  difficulty  in  keeping  the  boat  from 
broaching  to,  in  which  case  the  following  wave 
would  have  filled  or  overturned  her. 

"  I  don't  think  it's  any  use,  John,"  Mary  said 
quietly  as  a  great  wave  broke  on  board,  pouring  in 
as  much  water  in  a  second  as  she  could  have  bailed 
out  in  ten  minutes. 

"  ISo  use,  dear.  Sit  quietly  by  rae  ;  but  first  pull 
those  oars  aft ;  now  tie  them  together  with  that 
piece  of  rope.  Now  when  the  boat  goes  down  keep 
tight  hold  of  them.  Cut  off  another  piece  of  rope 
and  give  it  me.  When  we  are  in  the  water  I  will 
fasten  you  to  the  oars.  They  will  keep  you  afloat 
easily  enough.  I  will  keep  close  to  you.  You 
know  I  am  a  good  swimmer;  and  \vhenever  I  feel 
tired  I  can  rest  my  hands  on  the  oars  too.  Keep  up 
your  courage  and  keep  as  quiet  as  you  can.  These 
sudden  storms  seldom  last  long,  and  my  father  will 
be  sure  to  get  the  boats  out  as  soon  as  he  can  to 
look  for  us." 

John  spoke  cheerfully,  but  he  had  no  great  hopes 
of  their  being  able  to  live  in  so  rough  a  sea.  Mary 
had  still  less,  but  she  quietly  carried  out  John's 
instructions.  The  boat  was  half-full  of  water  now, 
and  rose  but  heavily  upon  the  waves.  John  raised 
himself  and  looked  round,  in  hopes  that  the  wind 
might  unnoticed  have  shifted  a  little  and  blown 
them  toward  the  shore.  As  he  glanced  around  him 
he  gave  a  shout.  Following  almost  in  their  track, 
and  some  fifty  yards  away,  was  a  large  galley  run- 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  31 

ning  before  the  wind,  with  a  rag  of  sail  set  on  its 
mast. 

"  We  are  saved,  Mary  !"  he  exclaimed.  "  Here  is 
a  galley  close  to  us." 

He  shouted  loudly,  though  he  knew  that  his  voice 
could  not  be  heard  many  yards  away  in  the  teeth 
of  the  gale  ;  but  almost  directly  he  saw  two  or  three 
men  stand  up  in  the  bow  of  the  galley.  One  was 
pointing  toward  them,  and  he  savv  that  they  were 
seen.  In  another  minute  the  galley  came  sweeping 
along  close  to  the  boat.  A  dozen  figures  appeared 
over  her  side,  and  two  or  three  ropes  were  thrown. 
John  caught  one,  twisted  it  rapidly  round  Mary's 
body  and  his  own,  knotted  it,  and,  taking  her  in  his 
arms,  jumped  overboard.  Another  minute  they 
were  drawn  alongside  the  galley  and  pulled  on 
board.  As  soon  as  the  ropes  were  unfastened  John 
rose  to  his  feet,  but  Mary  lay  insensible  on  the  deck. 

"  Carry  the  damsel  into  the  cabin,"  a  man  who 
was  evidently  in  authority  said.  "  She  has  fainted, 
but  will  soon  come  round.    I  will  see  to  her  ra3^self." 

The  suddenness  of  the  rescue,  the  plunge  in.  the 
water,  and  the  sudden  revulsion  of  his  feelings,  af- 
fected John  so  much  that  it  was  two  or  three  min- 
utes before  he  could  speak. 

*'  Come  along  with  me,  lad,"  one  of  the  sailors 
said,  laying  his  hand  on  his  shoulder.  "  Some  dry 
clothes  and  a  draught  of  wine  will  set  you  all  right 
again;  but  you  have  had  a  narrow  escape  of  it. 
That  boat  of  yours  was  pretty  nearly  water-logged, 
and  in  another  five  minutes  we  should  have  been 
too  late." 


32  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

John  hastily  changed  his  clothes  in  the  forecastle, 
took  a  draught  of  wine,  and  then  hurried  back  again 
toward  the  aft  cabin.  Just  as  he  reached  it  the 
man  who  had  ordered  Mary  to  be  carried  in  came 
out. 

"  The  damsel  has  opened  her  eyes,"  he  said,  "  and 
you  need  not  be  uneasy  about  her.  I  have  given 
her  some  woolen  cloths,  and  bade  her  take  off  her 
wet  garments  and  wrap  herself  in  them.  Why  did 
you  not  make  for  the  shore  before  the  tempest 
broke  ?  It  was  foolish  of  you  indeed  to  be  out  on 
the  lake  when  any  one  could  see  that  this  gale  was 
coming." 

"  I  was  rowing  down  and  did  not  notice  it  until  I 
turned,"  John  replied.  "  I  was  making  for  the  shore 
when  the  gale  struck  her." 

"  It  was  well  for  you  that  I  noticed  you.  I  was 
myself  thinking  of  making  for  the  shore,  although 
in  so  large  and  well-manned  a  craft  as  this  there  is 
little  fear  upon  the  lake.  It  is  not  like  the  Great 
Sea,  where  I  myself  have  seen  a  large  ship  as  help- 
less before  the  waves  as  that  small  boat  we  picked 
you  from.  I  had  just  set  out  from  Tiberias  when  1 
marked  the  storm  coming  up  ;  but  my  business  was 
urgent,  and,  moreover,  I  marked  your  little  boat 
and  saw  that  you  were  not  likely  to  gain  the  shore, 
so  I  bade  the  helmsman  keep  his  eye  on  you  until 
the  darkness  fell  upon  us,  and  then  to  follow  straight 
in  your  wake,  for  you  could  but  run  before  the 
wind ;  and  well  he  did  it,  for  when  we  first  caught 
sight  of  you  you  were  right  ahead  of  us." 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  33 

The  speaker  was  a  man  of  about  thirty  years  of 
age,  tall,  and  with  a  certain  air  of  command. 

"  I  thank  you,  indeed,  sir,"  John  said,  "  for  saving 
my  life  and  that  of  my  Cousin  Mary,  the  daughter 
of  my  father's  brother.  Truly  my  father  and 
mother  will  be  grateful  to  you  for  having  saved  us, 
for  I  am  their  only  son.  TVhom  are  they  to  thank 
for  our  rescue  ?" 

"  I  am  Joseph,  the  son  of  Matthias,  to  whom  the 
Jews  have  intrusted  the  governorship  of  this  prov- 
ince." 

"  Josephus !"  John  exclaimed  in  a  tone  of  surprise 
and  reverence. 

"  So  men  call  me,"  Josephus  replied  with  a  smile. 

It  was  indeed  the  governor.  Flavius  Josephus, 
as  the  Romans  afterward  called  him,  came  of  a 
noble  Jewish  family,  his  father,  Matthias,  belonging 
to  the  highest  of  the  twenty-four  classes  into  which 
the  sacerdotal  families  were  divided.  Matthias  was 
eminent  for  his  attainments  and  piety,  and  had  been 
one  of  the  leading  men  in  Jerusalem.  From  his 
youth  Josephus  had  carefully  prepared  himself  for 
public  life,  mastering  the  doctrines  of  the  three 
leading  sects  among  the  Jews — the  Pharisees,  Sad- 
ducees,  and  Essenes — and  having  spent  three  years 
in  the  desert  with  Banus  the  Ascetic.  The  fact 
that  at  only  twenty-six  years  of  age  he  had  gone 
as  the  leader  of  a  deputation  to  Rome  on  behalf  of 
some  priests  sent  there  by  Felix  shows  that  he  was 
early  looked  upon  as  a  conspicuous  person  among 
the  Jews,  and  he  was  but  thirty  when  he  was  in- 


34  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

trusted  with  the  important  position  of  Governor  of 
Galilee. 

Contrary  to  the  custom  of  the  times,  he  had 
sought  to  make  no  gain  from  his  position.  He 
accepted  neither  presents  nor  bribes,  but  devoted 
himself  entirely  to  ameliorating  the  condition  of 
the  people,  and  in  repressing  the  turbulence  of  the 
lower  classes  of  the  great  towns,  and  of  the  robber 
chieftains  who,  like  John  of  Gischala,  took  advan- 
tage of  the  relaxation  of  authority  caused  by  the 
successful  rising  against  the  Romans  to  plunder  and 
tyrannize  over  the  people. 

The  expression  of  the  face  of  Josephus  was  lofty 
and  at  the  same  time  gentle.  His  temper  was 
singularly  equable,  and  whatever  the  circumstances 
he  never  gave  way  to  anger,  but  kept  his  passions 
well  under  control.  His  address  was  soft  and  win- 
ning, and  he  had  the  art  of  attracting  respect  and 
friendship  from  all  who  came  in  contact  with  him. 
Poppaea,  the  wife  of  Nero,  had  received  him  with 
much  favor ;  and  bravely  as  he  fought  against 
them,  Vespasian  and  Titus  were  afterward  as  much 
attached  to  him  as  were  the  Jews  of  Galilee.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  had  he  been  otherwise  placed 
than  as  one  of  a  people  on  the  verge  of  destruction, 
Josephus  would  have  been  one  of  the  great  figures 
of  history. 

John  had  been  accustomed  to  hear  his  father  and 
his  friends  speak  in  tones  of  such  admiration  for 
Josephus  as  the  man  who  was  regarded  not  only  as 
the  benefactor  of  the  Jews  of  Galilee,  but  as  the 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE,  35 

leader  and  mainstay  of  the  nation,  that  he  had  long 
ardently  desired  to  see  him  ;  and  to  find  that  he  had 
now  been  rescued  from  death  by  him,  and  that  he 
was  now  talking  to  him  face  to  face,  filled  him  with 
confusion. 

"  You  are  a  brave  lad,"  Josephus  said,  "  for  you 
kept  your  head  well  in  a  time  when  older  men 
might  have  lost  their  presence  of  mind.  You  must 
have  kept  your  boat  dead  before  the  wind,  and  you 
were  quick  and  ready  in  seizing  the  rope  and  knot- 
ting it  round  yourself  and  the  maid  with  you.  1 
feared  you  might  try  and  fasten  it  to  the  boat.  If 
you  had,  full  of  water  as  she  was,  and  fast  as  we 
were  sailing  before  the  wind,  the  rope  would  barely 
have  stood  the  strain," 

"The  clouds  are  breaking,"  the  captain  of  the 
boat  said,  coming  up  to  Josephus,  "  and  I  think  that 
we  are  past  the  worst  of  the  gale.  And  well  it  is  so, 
for  even  in  so  stanch  a  craft  there  is  much  peril  in 
such  a  sea  as  this." 

The  vessel,  although  one  of  the  largest  on  the 
lake,  was  indeed  pitching  and  rolling  very  heavily, 
but  she  was  light  and  buoyant,  and  each  time  that 
she  plunged  bows  under,  as  the  following  waves 
lifted  her  stern  high  in  the  air,  she  rose  lightly 
again,  and  scarce  a  drop  fell  into  her  deep  waist, 
the  lofty  erections  fore  and  aft  throwing  off  the 
water. 

"  Where  do  you  belong,  my  lad  ?"  Josephus  asked. 
"I  fear  that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  put  you 
ashore  until  we  reach  Capernaum;  but  once  there, 


36  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

I  will  see  that  you  are  provided  with  means  to  take 
you  home." 

"  Our  farm  lies  three  miles  above  Hippos." 

"  That  is  unfortunate,"  Josephus  said,  "  since  it 
lies  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake  to  Capernaum. 
However,  we  shall  see.  If  the  storm  goes  down 
rapidly  I  may  be  able  to  get  a  fishing-boat  to  take 
you  across  this  evening,  for  your  parents  will  be  in 
sore  trouble.  If  not,  you  must  wait  till  early 
morning." 

In  another  hour  they  reached  Capernaum.  The 
wind  had  by  this  time  greatly  abated,  although  the 
sea  still  ran  high.  The  ship  was  soon  alongside  a 
landing-jetty  which  ran  out  a  considerable  distance, 
and  formed  a  breakwater  protecting  the  shipping 
from  the  heavy  sea  w^hich  broke  there  when  the 
wind  was,  as  at  present,  from  the  south.  Mary 
came  out  from  the  cabin,  as  the  vessel  entered  the 
harbor,  wrapped  up  from  head  to  foot  in  the  woolen 
cloths  with  which  she  had  been  furnished.  John 
sprang  to  her  side. 

"  Are  you  quite  well,  Mary  ?" 

"  Quite  well,"  she  said,  "  only  very  ashamed  of 
having  fainted,  and  very  uncomfortable  in  these 
wrappings.  But,  oh !  John,  how  thankful  we  ought 
to  be  to  God  for  having  sent  this  ship  to  our  aid 
just  when  all  seemed  lost !" 

"  We  ought  indeed,  Mary.  I  have  been  thanking 
him  as  I  have  been  standing  here  watching  the 
waves,  and  I  am  sure  you  have  been  doing  the  same 
in  the  cabin." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  37 

"  Yes,  indeed,  John.  But  what  am  I  to  do  now? 
I  do  not  like  going  on  shore  like  this,  and  the  offi- 
cer told  me  I  was  on  no  account  to  put  on  my  wet 
clothes." 

"  Do  you  know,  it  is  Josephus  himself,  Mary — think 
of  that — the  great  Josephus,  who  has  saved  us !  He 
marked  our  boat  before  the  storm  broke,  and  seeing 
that  we  could  not  reach  the  shore,  had  his  vessel 
steered  so  as  to  overtake  us." 

Mary  was  too  surprised  to  utter  more  than  an  ex- 
clamation. The  thought  that  the  man  who  had 
been  talking  so  kindly  and  pleasantly  to  her  was 
the  great  leader  of  whom  she  had  heard  so  much 
quite  took  away  her  breath. 

At  that  moment  Josephus  himself  came  up. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  have  got  your  color  again, 
maiden,"  he  said.  "  I  am  just  going  to  land.  Do 
you  with  your  cousin  remain  on  board  here.  I  will 
send  a  woman  down  with  some  attire  for  you.  She 
will  conduct  you  both  to  the  house  where  I  shall  be 
staying.  The  sea  is  going  down,  and  the  captain 
tells  me  that  he  thinks  in  another  three  or  four 
hours  I  shall  be  able  to  get  a  boat  to  send  you 
across  to  your  home.  It  will  be  late,  but  you  will 
not  mind  that,  for  they  are  sure  not  to  retire 
to  rest  at  home,  but  to  be  up  all  night  searching  for 
you." 

A  crowd  had  assembled  on  the  jetty,  for  Josephus 
was  expected,  and  the  violent  storm  had  excited  the 
fears  of  all  for  his  safety,  and  the  leading  inhabit- 
antshad  all  flocked  down  to  welcome  him  when 
his  vessel  was  seen  approaching. 


38  ^OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  Isn't  he  kind  and  good  ?"  Mary  said  enthusias- 
tically as  she  watched  the  greeting  which  he 
received  as  he  landed.  "  He  talked  to  me  just  as  if 
he  had  been  of  my  own  family." 

"  He  is  grand  !"  John  agreed  with  equal  enthusi- 
asm. "  He  is  just  what  I  pictured  to  myself  that  a 
great  leader  would  be,  such  as  Joshua,  or  Gideon, 
or  the  Prince  of  the  Maccabees." 

"  Yes  ;  but  more  gentle,  John." 

"  Brave  men  should  always  be  gentle,"  John  said 
positively. 

"  They  ought  to  be,  perhaps,"  Mary  agreed,  "  but 
I  don't  think  they  are." 

They  chatted  then  about  the  storm  and  the 
anxiety  which  they  would  be  feeling  at  home  until 
an  officer,  accompanied  by  a  woman  carrying  attire 
for  Mary,  came  on  board. 

Mary  soon  came  out  of  the  cabin  dressed,  and  the 
officer  conducted  them  to  the  house  which  had  been 
placed  at  the  disposal  of  Josephus.  The  woman 
led  them  up  to  a  room  where  a  meal  had  been 
prepared  for  them. 

"Josephus  is  in  council  with  the  elders,"  she  said ; 
"he  bade  me  see  that  you  had  all  that  you  required. 
He  has  arranged  that  a  bark  shall  start  with  you 
as  soon  as  the  sea  goes  down,  but  if  by  eight  o'clock 
it  is  still  too  rough,  I  shall  take  the  maiden  home  to 
my  house  to  sleep,  and  they  will  arouse  you  as  soon 
as  it  is  safe  to  put  out,  whatever  the  hour  may  be, 
as  your  friends  will  be  in  great  anxiety  concerning 
you." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  39 

The  sun  had  already  set,  and  just  as  they  finished 
their  meal  the  man  belonging  to  the  boat  came  to 
sa}'^  that  it  would  be  midnight  before  he  could  put 
out. 

Mary  then  went  over  with  the  woman,  and  John 
lay  down  on  some  mats  to  sleep  until  it  vras  time  to 
start.  He  slept  soundly  until  he  was  aroused  by  the 
entry  of  some  one  with  lights.  He  started  to  his 
feet,  and  found  that  it  was  Josephus  himself  with 
an  attendant. 

"  I  had  not  forgotten  you,"  he  said  ;  "  but  I  have 
been  until  now  in  council.  It  is  close  upon  mid- 
night, and  the  boat  is  in  readiness.  I  have  sent  to 
fetch  the  damsel,  and  have  bidden  them  take  plenty 
of  warm  wraps,  so  that  the  night  air  may  do  her 
no  harm." 

Mary  soon  arrived,  and  Josephus  himself  went 
down  with  them  to  the  shore  and  saw  them  on 
board  the  boat,  which  was  a  large  one  with  eight 
rowers.  The  wind  had  died  away  to  a  gentle 
breeze,  and  the  sea  had  gone  down  greatly.  The 
moon  was  up  and  the  stars  shining  brightly.  Jose- 
phus chatted  kindly  to  John  as  they  made  their 
way  down  to  the  shore. 

"  Tell  your  father,"  he  said,  "  that  I  hope  he  will 
come  over  to  see  me  ere  long,  and  that  I  shall  bear 
you  in  mind.  The  time  is  coming  when  every  Jew 
who  can  bear  arms  will  be  needed  in  the  service  of 
his  country,  and  if  your  father  consents  I  will  place 
you  near  my  person,  for  I  have  seen  that  you  are 
brave  and  cool  in  danger,  and  you  will  have  plenty 
of  opportunities  of  winning  advancement." 


40  FOR  THE  TEMPLK. 

With  many  thanks  for  his  kindness  John  and 
Mary  took  their  places  in  the  stern  of  the  boat. 
Mary  enveloped  herself  in  the  wraps  that  had  been 
prepared  for  her,  for  the  nights  were  chilly.  Then 
the  sail  was  hoisted,  and  the  boat  sailed  away  from 
the  land.  The  wind  had  shifted  round  somewhat 
to  the  west,  and  they  were  able  to  lay  their  course 
across  toward  Hippos,  but  their  progress  was  slow, 
and  the  master  bade  the  crew  get  out  their  oars  and 
aid  the  sail. 

In  three  hours  they  neared  the  land,  John  point- 
ing out  the  exact  position  of  the  village,  which  was 
plainly  enough  marked  out  by  a  great  fire  blazing 
on  the  shore.  As  they  approached  it  they  could 
see  several  figures,  and  presently  there  came  a 
shout  which  John  recognized  as  that  of  Isaac. 

"  Any  news  ?" 

"  Here  we  are,  Isaac,  safe  and  well." 

There  was  a  confused  sound  of  shouts  and  cries 
of  pleasure.  In  a  few  minutes  the  boat  grated  on 
the  shallow  shore.  The  moment  she  did  so  John 
leaped  out  over  the  bow  and  waded  ashore,  and  was 
at  once  clasped  in  his  mother's  arms,  while  one  of 
the  fishermen  carried  Mary  to  the  land.  She  re- 
ceived from  Martha  a  full  share  of  her  caresses, 
for  she  loved  the  girl  almost  as  dearly  as  she  did 
her  son.  Then  Miriam  and  the  maids  embraced 
and  kissed  her,  while  Isaac  folded  John  in  his 
arms. 

"  The  God  of  Israel  be  thanked  and  praised,  my 
children  I"  Martha  exclaimed.     "  He  has  brought 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  41 

you  back  to  us  as  from  the  dead,  for  we  never 
thought  to  see  you  again.  Some  of  the  fishermen 
returned  and  told  us  that  they  saw  ^'^our  boat  far  on 
the  lake  before  the  storm  burst,  and  none  held  out 
hope  that  you  could  have  weathered  such  a  storm." 

"  Where  is  father  ?"  John  asked. 

"  He  is  out  on  the  lake,  as  are  all  the  fishermen  of 
the  village,  searching  for  3'^ou.  That  reminds  me, 
Isaac ;  set  fire  to  the  other  piles  of  wood  that  we 
have  prepared.  If  one  of  the  boats  returned  with 
any  sure  news  of  you  we  were  to  light  them  to  call 
the  others  back — one  fire  if  the  news  was  bad,  two 
if  it  was  good  ;  but  we  hardly  even  dared  to  hope 
that  the  second  would  be  required." 

A  brand  from  the  fire  was  soon  applied  to  the 
other  piles,  and  the  three  fires  shone  out  across  the 
lake  with  the  good  news.  In  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
a  boat  was  seen  approaching,  and  soon  came  a 
shout : 

"Is  all  well?" 

"  All  is  well,"  John  shouted  in  reply,  and  soon  he 
was  clasped  in  his  father's  arms. 

The  other  boats  came  in  one  by  one,  the  last  to 
arrive  towing  in  the  boat,  which  had  been  found 
bottom  upward  far  up  the  lake,  its  discovery  de- 
stroying the  last  hope  of  its  late  occupants  being 
found  alive.  As  soon  as  Simon  landed  the  party 
returned  to  the  house.  Miriam  and  the  maids  hur- 
ried to  prepare  a  meal,  of  which  all  were  sorely  in 
need,  for  no  food  had  been  eaten  since  the  gale 
burst  on  the  lake,  while  their  three  hours  in  the 


42  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

boat  had  again  sharpened  the  appetite  of  John  and 
Mary.  A  quantity  of  food  was  cooked  and  a  skin 
of  old  wine  brought  up  from  the  cellar,  and  Isaac 
remained  down  on  the  shore  to  bid  all  who  had 
been  engaged  in  the  search  come  up  and  feast  as 
soon  as  they  landed. 

John  related  to  his  parents  the  adventure  which 
had  befallen  them,  and  they  wondered  greatly  at 
the  narrowness  of  their  deliverance.  When  the 
feasting  was  over,  Simon  called  all  together,  and 
solemnly  returned  thanks  to  God  for  the  mercies 
which  he  had  given  them.  It  was  broad  daylight 
before  all  sought  their  beds  for  a  few  hours  before 
beginning  the  work  of  the  day. 

A  week  later  Josephus  himself  came  to  Hippos, 
bringing  with  him  two  nobles  who  had  fled  from 
King  Agrippa  and  sought  refuge  with  him ;  he  had 
received  them  hospitably,  and  had  allotted  a  home 
to  them  at  Tarichea,  where  he  principally  dwelt. 
He  had  just  before  had  another  narrow  escape,  for 
six  hundred  armed  men — robbers  and  others — had 
assembled  round  his  house,  charging  him  with 
keeping  some  spoils  which  had  been  taken  by  a 
party  of  men  of  that  town  from  the  wife  of  Ptolemy, 
King  Agrippa's  procurator,  instead  of  dividing 
them  among  the  people. 

For  a  time  he  pacified  them  by  telling  them  that 
this  money  was  destined  for  strengthening  the 
walls  of  their  town  and  for  walling  other  towns  at 
present  undefended,  but  the  leaders  of  the  evil- 
doers were  determined  to  set  his  house  on  fire  and 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  43 

slay  him.  He  had  but  twenty  armed  men  with 
him.  Closing  the  doors  he  went  to  an  upper  room 
and  told  the  robbers  to  send  in  one  of  their  number 
to  receive  the  money.  Directly  he  entered  the  door 
was  closed.  One  of  his  hands  was  cut  off  and  hung 
round  his  neck,  and  he  was  then  turned  out  again. 
Believing  that  Joseph  us  would  not  have  ventured 
to  act  so  boldly  had  he  not  had  a  large  body  of 
armed  men  with  him,  the  crowd  were  seized  with 
panic  and  fled  to  their  homes. 

After  this  the  enemies  of  Josephus  persuaded  the 
people  that  the  nobles  he  had  sheltered  were  wiz- 
ards, and  demanded  that  they  should  be  given  up 
to  be  slain,  unless  they  would  change  their  religion 
to  that  of  the  Jews.  Josephus  tried  to  argue  them 
out  of  their  belief,  saying  that  there  were  no  such 
things  as  wizards,  and  if  the  Romans  had  wizards 
who  could  work  them  wrong  they  would  not  need 
to  send  an  army  to  fight  against  them ;  but  as  the 
people  still  clamored  he  got  the  men  privately  on 
board  a  ship,  and  sailed  across  the  lake  with  them 
to  Hippos,  where  he  dismissed  them  with  many 
presents. 

As  soon  as  the  news  came  that  Josephus  had 
come  to  Hippos,  Simon  set  out  with  Martha,  John, 
and  Mary  to  see  him.  Josephus  received  them 
kindly,  and  would  permit  no  thanks  for  what  he 
had  done. 

"  Your  son  is  a  brave  youth,"  he  said  to  Simon, 
"and  I  would  gladly  have  him  near  me  if  you 
would  like  to  have  it  so.    This  is  a  time  when  there 


44  FOit  THE  TEMPLE. 

are  greater  things  than  planting  vineyards  and 
gathering  in  harvests  to  be  done,  and  there  is  a 
need  for  brave  and  faithful  men.  If,  then,  you  and 
your  wife  will  give  the  lad  to  me  I  will  see  to  him 
and  keep  him  near  me.  I  have  need  of  faithful 
men  with  me,  for  my  enemies  are  ever  trying  to 
slay  me.  If  all  goes  well  with  the  land  he  will  have 
a  good  opportunity  of  rising  to  honor.  What  say 
you  ?  Do  not  give  an  answer  hastily,  but  think  it 
over  among  yourselves,  and  if  you  agree  to  my  pro- 
posal send  him  across  the  lake  to  me." 

"  It  needs  no  thought,  sir,"  Simon  said.  "  I  know 
well  that  there  are  more  urgent  things  now  than 
sowing  and  reaping,  and  that  much  trouble  and 
peril  threaten  the  land.  Right  ,glad  am  I  that  my 
son  should  serve  one  who  is  the  hope  of  Israel,  and 
his  mother  will  not  grudge  him  for  such  service. 
As  to  advancement,  I  wish  nothing  better  than  that 
he  should  till  the  land  of  his  fathers  ;  but  none  can 
say  what  the  Lord  has  in  store  for  us,  or  whether 
strangers  may  not  reap  what  I  have  sown.  Thus, 
then,  the  wisdom  which  he  will  gain  in  being  with 
you  is  likely  to  be  a  far  better  inheritance  than  any 
I  can  give  him.     What  say  you,  Martha  ?" 

"  I  say  as  you  do,  Simon.  It  will  grieve  me  to 
part  with  him,  but  I  know  that  such  an  offer  as 
that  which  my  lord  Joseph  us  makes  is  greatly  for 
his  good.  Moreover,  the  manner  in  which  he  was 
saved  from  death  seems  to  show  that  the  Lord  has 
something  for  his  hand  to  do,  and  that  his  path  is 
specially  marked  out  for  him.     To  refuse  to  let  him 


FOR  THIS  TEMPLE.  46 

go  would  be  to  commit  the  sin  of  withstanding 
God ;  therefore,  my  lord,  I  willingly  give  up  my 
son  to  follow  you." 

"  I  think  that  you  have  decided  wisely,"  Josephus 
said.  "  I  tarry  here  for  to-night,  and  to-morrow 
cross  to  Tiberias,  therefore  let  him  be  here  by 
noon." 

Mary  was  the  most  silent  of  the  party  on  the  way 
home.  Simon  and  his  wife  felt  convinced  the 
decision  they  had  made  was  a  wise  one,  and  al- 
though they  were  not  ambitious,  they  yet  felt  that 
the  offer  of  Josephus  was  a  most  advantageous  one, 
and  opened  a  career  of  honor  to  their  son. 

John  himself  was  in  a  state  of  the  highest  delight. 
To  be  about  the  person  of  Josephus  seemed  to  him 
the  greatest  honor  and  happiness.  It  opened  the 
way  to  the  performance  of  great  actions  which 
would  bring  honor  to  his  father's  name ;  and  al- 
though he  had  been  hitherto  prepared  to  settle 
down  to  the  life  of  a  cultivator  of  the  soil,  he  had 
had  his  yearnings  for  one  of  more  excitement  and 
adventure,  and  these  were  now  likely  to  be  gratified 
to  the  fullest.  Mary,  however,  felt  the  approaching 
loss  of  her  friend  and  playmate  greatly,  though 
even  she  was  not  insensible  to  the  honor  which  the 
offer  of  Josephus  conferred  upon  him. 

"  You  don't  seem  glad  of  my  good  fortune, 
Mary,"  John  said  as,  after  they  returned  home, 
they  strolled  together  as  usual  down  to  the  edge  of 
the  lake. 

"  It  may  be  your  good  fortune,  but  it's  not  mine," 


46  POR  THE  TEMPLE. 

the  girl  said  pettishly.  "  It  will  be  very  dull  here 
without  you.  I  know  what  it  will  be.  Your  mother 
will  always  be  full  of  anxiety,  and  will  be  fretting 
whenever  we  get  news  of  any  disturbances,  and  that 
is  often  enough,  for  there  seem  to  be  disturbances 
continually.  Your  father  will  go  about  silently, 
Miriam  will  be  sharper  than  usual  with  the  maids, 
and  everything  will  go  wrong.  I  can't  see  why  you 
couldn't  have  said  that  in  a  year  or  two  you  would 
go  with  the  governor,  but  that  at  present  you 
thought  you  had  better  stop  with  your  own  peo- 
ple." 

"  A  nice  milksop  he  would  have  thought  me !" 
John  laughed.  "No.  If  he  thought  I  was  man 
enough  to  do  him  service  it  wauld  have  been  a  nice 
thing  for  me  to  say  that  I  thought  I  was  too  young. 
Besides,  Mary,  after  all  it  is  your  good  fortune  as 
well  as  mine,  for  is  it  not  settled  that  you  are  to 
share  it  ?  Josephus  is  all-powerful,  and  if  I  please 
him  and  do  my  duty  he  can,  in  time,  raise  me  to  a 
position  of  great  honor.  I  may  even  come  to  be 
the  governor  of  a  town,  or  a  captain  over  troops,  or 
a  councilor." 

"  No,  no !"  Mary  laughed ;  "  not  a  councilor, 
John — a  governor  perhaps,  and  a  captain  perhaps, 
but  never,  I  should  say,  a  councilor."  John  laughed 
good-teraperedly. 

"  Well,  Mary,  then  you  shall  look  forward  to  be 
the  wife  of  a  governor  or  captain,  but  you  see  I 
might  even  fill  the  place  of  a  councilor  with  credit, 
because  I  could  always  come  to  you  for  advice  be- 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  47 

fore  I  give  an  opinion,  then  I  should  be  sure  to  be 
right.  But,  seriously,  Mary,  I  do  think  it  great 
honor  to  have  had  such  an  offer  made  me  by  the 
governor," 

"  Seriously,  so  do  I,  John,  though  I  v^^ish  in  my 
heart  he  had  not  made  it.  I  had  looked  forward  to 
living  here  all  my  life,  just  as  your  mother  has 
done,  and  now  there  will  be  nothing  fixed  to  look 
forward  to.  Besides,  where  there  is  honor  there  is 
danger.  There  seem  to  be  always  tumults,  alwa^'s 
conspiracies,  and  then,  as  your  father  says,  above 
all,  there  are  the  Romans  to  be  reckoned  with  ;  and, 
of  course,  if  you  are  near  Josephus  you  run  a  risk, 
going  wherever  he  does." 

"I  shall  never  be  in  greater  risk,  Mary,  than  we 
were  together  on  the  lake  the  other  day.  God 
helped  us  then  and  brought  us  through  it,  and  I 
have  faith  that  he  will  do  so  again.  It  may  be 
that  I  am  meant  to  do  something  useful  before  I 
die.  At  any  rate,  when  the  Eomans  come  every  one 
will  have  to  fight,  so  I  shall  be  in  no  greater  danger 
than  any  one  else." 

"  I  know,  John ;  and  I  am  not  speaking  quite  in 
earnest.  I  am  sorry  you  are  going,  that  is  only 
natural ;  but  1  am  proud  that  you  are  to  be  near 
our  great  leader,  and  I  believe  that  our  God  will  be 
your  shield  and  protector.  And  now  we  had  better 
go  in.  Your  father  will  doubtless  have  much  to  say 
to  you  this  evening,  and  your  mother  will  grudge 
every  minute  you  are  out  of  her  sight." 


48  FOB  TEE  TEMPLE, 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   BEVOLT   AGAINST   KOME. 

That  evening  the  Rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Manasseh 
came  in,  and  was  informed  of  the  offer  which  Jose- 
phus  had  made. 

"  You  were  present,  rabbi,"  Simon  said,  "  at  the 
events  which  took  place  in  Jerusalem,  and  at  the  de- 
feat of  Cestius.  John  has  been  asking  me  to  tell 
him  more  about  these  matters ;  for  now  that  he  is 
to  be  with  the  governor  it  is  well  that  he  should  be 
well  acquainted  with  public  affairs." 

"  I  will  willingly  tell  him  the  history,  for,  as  you 
say,  it  is  right  that  the  young  man  should  be  well 
acquainted  with  the  public  events  and  the  state  of 
parties,  and  though  the  story  must  be  somewhat 
long,  I  will  try  and  not  make  it  tedious.  The  first 
tumult  broke  out  in  Csesarea,  and  began  by  frays 
between  our  people  and  the  Syrian  Greeks.  Felix, 
the  governor,  took  the  part  of  the  Greeks,  and  many 
of  our  people  were  killed  and  more  plundered. 
When  Felix  was  recalled  to  Rome  we  sent  a  depu- 
tation there  with  charges  against  him  ;  but  the 
Greeks,  by  means  of  bribery,  obtained  a  decree 
against  us,  depriving  the' Jews  of  Csesarea  of  rights 
of  equal  citizenship.     From  this  constant  troubles 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  49 

arose ;  but  outside  Caesarea  Festus  kept  all  quiet, 
putting  down  robbers  as  well  as  impostors  who  led 
the  people  astray. 

"Then  there  came  trouble  in  Jerusalem.  King 
Agrippa's  palace  stood  on  Mount  Zion,  looking 
toward  the  Temple,  and  he  built  a  lofty  story 
from  whose  platform  he  could  command  a  view  of 
the  courts  of  the  Temple,  and  watch  the  sacrifices. 
Our  people  resented  this  impious  intrusion,  and  built 
a  high  wall  to  cut  off  the  view.  Agrippa  de- 
manded its  destruction  on  the  ground  that  it  inter- 
cepted the  view  of  the  Koman  guard.  We  appealed 
to  Kero,  and  sent  to  him  a  deputation  headed  by 
Ismael,  the  high-priest,  and  Hilkiah,  the  treasurer. 
They  obtained  an  order  for  the  wall  to  be  allowed 
to  stand ;  but  Ismael  and  Hilkiah  were  detained 
at  Rome.  Agrippa  thereupon  appointed  another 
high-priest,  Joseph,  but  soon  afterward  nominated 
Annas  in  his  place. 

"  When  Festus,  the  Roman  governor,  was  awa}'' 
Annas  put  to  death  many  of  the  sect  called  Chris- 
tians to  gratify  the  Sadducees.  The  people  were 
indignant,  for  these  men  had  done  no  harm,  and 
Agrippa  deprived  him  of  the  priesthood  and  ap- 
pointed Jesus,  son  of  Daranai.  Then,  unhappily, 
Festus,  who  was  a  just  and  good  governor,  died,  and 
Albinus  succeeded  him.  He  was  a  man  greedy  of 
money,  and  ready  to  do  anything  for  gain  ;  he  took 
bribes  from  robbers  and  encouraged  rather  than  re- 
pressed evil-doers.  There  was  open  war  in  the 
streets  between  the  followers  of  various  chief  rob- 


50  ^^  TEE  TEMPLE. 

bers.  Albinus  opened  the  prisons  and  filled  the  city 
with  malefactors,  and  at  the  completion  of  the 
works  at  the  Temple  eighteen  thousand  workmen 
were  discharged,  and  thus  the  city  was  tilled  with 
men  ready  to  sell  their  services  to  the  highest 
bidders. 

"  Albinus  was  succeeded  by  Gessius  Floras,  who 
was  even  worse  than  Albinus.  This  man  was  a 
great  friend  of  Cestius  Gallus,  who  commanded  the 
Roman  troops  in  Syria,  and  who  therefore  scoffed 
at  the  complaints  of  the  people  against  Floras.  At 
this  time  strange  prodigies  appeared  in  Rome.  A 
sword  of  fire  hung  above  the  city  for  a  whole  year. 
The  inner  gate  of  the  Temple,  which  required 
twenty  men  to  move  it,  opened  by  itself,  chariots 
and  armed  squadrons  were  seen  in  the  heavens,  and, 
worse  than  all,  the  priests  in  the  Temple  heard  a 
great  movement  and  a  sound  of  many  voices,  which 
said,  '  Let  us  depart  hence !' 

"  So  things  went  on  in  Jerusalem  until  the  old 
feud  at  CaBsarea  broke  out  afresh.  The  trouble 
this  time  began  about  one  of  our  synagogues.  The 
land  around  it  belonged  to  a  Greek,  and  for  this 
our  people  offered  a  high  price.  The  heathen  who 
owned  it  refused,  and  to  annoy  us  raised  mean 
houses  round  the  synagogue.  The  Jewish  youths 
interrupted  the  workmen,  and  the  wealthier  of  the 
community,  headed  by  John,  a  publican,  subscribed 
eight  talents  and  sent  them  to  Floras  as  a  bribe, 
that  he  might  order  the  building  to  be  stopped. 

"  Florus  took  the  money  and  made  many  prom- 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  51 

ises  ;  but  the  evil  man  desired  that  a  revolt  should 
take  place  in  order  that  he  might  gain  great  plun 
der.  So  he  went  away  from  C^esarea  and  did  noth- 
ing, and  a  great  tumult  arose  between  the  heathen 
and  our  people.  In  this  we  were  worsted  and  went 
away  from  the  city,  while  John,  with  twelve  of  the 
highest  rank,  went  to  Samaria  to  lay  the  matter 
before  Florus,  who  threw  them  into  prison,  doubt- 
less the  more  to  excite  the  people,  and  at  the  same 
time  sent  to  Jerusalem  and  demanded  seventeen 
talents  from  the  treasury  of  the  Temple. 

"  The  people  burst  into  loud  outcries,  and  Florus 
advanced  upon  the  city  with  all  his  force.  But  we 
knew  that  we  could  not  oppose  the  Komans,  and  so 
received  Florus  on  his  arrival  with  acclamations. 
But  this  did  not  suit  the  tyrant.  The  next  morn- 
ing he  ordered  his  troops  to  plunder  the  upper 
market  and  to  put  to  death  all  they  met.  The  sol- 
diers obeyed,  and  slew  thirty-six  hundred  men, 
women,  and  children. 

"  You  may  imagine,  John,  the  feelings  of  grief 
and  rage  which  filled  every  heart.  The  next  day 
the  multitude  assembled  in  the  market-place,  wail- 
ing for  the  dead  and  cursing  Florus.  But  the  prin- 
cipal men  of  the  city,  with  the  priests,  tore  their 
robes,  and  went  among  them  praying  them  to  dis- 
perse and  not  to  provoke  the  anger  of  the  gov- 
ernor. The  people  obeyed  their  voices  and  went 
quietly  home. 

"  But  Florus  was  not  content  that  matters  should 
end  so.     He  sent  for  the  priests  and   leaders  and 


52  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

commanded  them  to  go  forth  and  receive  with  ac- 
clamations of  welcome  two  cohorts  of  troops  who 
were  advancing  from  Caesarea.  The  priests  called 
the  people  together  in  the  Temple,  and  with  diffi- 
culty persuaded  them  to  obey  the  order.  The 
troops,  having  orders  from  Floras,  fell  upon  the 
people  and  trampled  them  down,  and  driving  the 
multitude  before  them  entered  the  city,  and  at  the 
same  time  Florus  sallied  out  from  his  palace  with 
his  troops,  and  both  parties  pressed  forward  to  gain 
the  castle  of  Antonia,  whose  possession  would  lay 
the  Temple  open  to  them,  and  enable  Florus  to  gain 
the  sacred  treasures  deposited  there.  But  as  soon 
as  the  people  perceived  their  object  they  ran  to- 
gether in  such  vast  crowds  that  the  Eoman  soldiers 
could  not  cut  their  way  throi^gh  the  mass  which 
blocked  up  the  streets,  while  the  more  active  men, 
going  up  on  to  the  roofs,  hurled  down  stones  and 
missiles  upon  the  troops. 

"  What  a  scene  was  that,  John !  I  was  on  the 
portico  near  Antonia  and  saw  it  all.  It  was  terrible 
to  hear  the  shouts  of  the  soldiers  as  they  strove  to 
hew  their  way  through  the  defenseless  people,  the 
war-cries  of  our  own  youths,  the  shrieks  and  wail- 
ings  of  the  women.  While  the  Romans  were  still 
striving  our  people  broke  down  the  galleries  con- 
necting Antonia  with  the  Temple,  and  Florus,  see- 
ing that  he  could  not  carry  out  his  object,  ordered 
his  troops  to  retire  to  their  quarters,  and  calling  the 
chief  priests  and  the  rulers  proposed  to  leave  the 
city,  leaving  behind  him  one  cohort  to  preserve  the 
peace. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  53 

"As  soon  as  he  had  done  so  he  sent  to  Cestius 
Gallus  lying  accounts  of  the  tumults,  laying  all  the 
blame  upon  us,  while  we  and  Bernice,  the  sister  of 
King  Agrippa,  who  had  tried  in  vain  to  obtain 
mercy  for  the  people  from  Florus,  sent  complaints 
against  him.  Cestius  was  moving  to  Jerusalem,  to 
inquire  into  the  matter,  as  he  said,  but  really  to  re- 
store Florus,  when  fortunately  King  Agrippa  ar- 
rived from  Egypt. 

"  While  he  was  yet  seven  miles  from  the  city  a 
procession  of  the  people  met  him,  headed  by  the 
women  whose  husbands  had  been  slain  ;  these,  with 
cries  and  wailings,  called  on  Agrippa  for  protec- 
tion, and  related  to  a  centurion,  Avhom  Cestius  had 
sent  forward  and  who  met  Agrippa  on  the  way,  the 
cruelty  of  Florus.  When  the  king  and  the  cen- 
turion arrived  in  the  city  they  were  taken  to  the 
market-place  and  shown  the  houses  where  the  in- 
habitants had  been  massacred. 

"  Agrippa  called  the  people  together,  and  taking 
his  seat  on  a  lofty  dais,  with  Bernice  by  his  side, 
harangued  them.  He  assured  them  that  when  the 
emperor  heard  what  had  been  done  he  would  send 
a  better  governor  to  them  in  the  place  of  Florus. 
He  told  them  that  it  was  vain  to  hope  for  independ- 
ence, for  that  the  Komans  had  conquered  all  the 
nations  in  the  world,  and  that  the  Jews  could  not 
contend  against  them,  and  that  war  would  bring 
about  the  destruction  of  the  city  and  the  Temple. 

"  The  people  exclaimed  they  had  taken  up  arms, 
not    against    the    Romans,    but    against    Florus. 


54  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Agrippa  urged  us  to  pay  our  tribute  and  repair  the 
galleries.  This  was  willingly  done.  We  sent  out 
leading  men  to  collect  the  arrears  of  tribute,  and 
these  soon  brought  in  forty  talents.  All  was  going 
on  well  until  Agrippa  tried  to  persuade  us  to  re- 
ceive Florus  till  the  emperor  should  send  another 
governor.  At  the  thought  of  the  return  of  Florus  a 
mad  rage  seized  the  people.  They  poured  abuse 
upon  Agrippa,  threw  stones  at  him,  and  ordered 
him  to  leave  the  city.  This  he  did,  and  retired  to 
his  own  kingdom. 

"  The  upper  class,  and  all  those  who  possessed 
wisdom  enough  to  know  how  great  was  the  power 
of  Rome,  still  strove  for  peace.  But  the  people 
were  beyond  control.  They  seized  the  fortress  of 
Masada,  a  very  strong  place  near  the  Dead  Sea,  and 
put  the  Eoman  garrison  to  the  sword.  But  what 
was  even  worse,  Eleazar,  son  of  Ananias,  the  chief 
priest,  persuaded  the  priests  to  reject  the  offerings 
regularly  made  in  the  name  of  the  emperor  to  the 
God  of  the  Hebrews,  and  to  make  a  regulation  that 
from  that  time  no  foreigner  should  be  allowed  to 
sacrifice  in  the  Temple.  The  chief  priests,  with  the 
heads  of  the  Pharisees,  addressed  the  people  in  the 
quadrangle  of  the  Temple  before  the  eastern  gate. 
I  myself  was  one  of  those  who  spoke.  We  told 
them  that  the  Temple  had  long  benefited  by  the 
splendid  gifts  of  strangers,  and  that  it  was  not  only 
inhospitable,  but  impious  to  preclude  them  from 
offering  victims  and  worshiping  God  there. 

"  We,  who  were  learned  in  the  law,  showed  them 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  55 

that  it  was  an  ancient  and  immemorial  usage  to  re- 
ceive the  offerings  of  strangers,  and  that  this  refusal 
to  accept  the  Roman  gifts  was  nothing  short  of  a 
declaration  of  war.  But  all  we  could  do  or  say 
availed  nothing.  The  influence  of  Eleazar  was  too 
great.  A  madness  had  seized  the  people,  and  they 
rejected  all  our  words  ;  but  the  party  of  peace  made 
one  more  effort.  They  sent  a  deputation,  headed 
by  Simon,  son  of  Ananias,  to  Florus,  and  another  to 
Agrippa,  praying  them  to  march  upon  Jerusalem 
and  reassert  their  authority  before  it  was  too  late. 
Florus  made  no  reply,  for  things  were  going  justas 
he  wished  ;  but  Agrippa,  anxious  to  preserve  the 
city,  sent  three  thousand  horsemen,  commanded  by 
Darius  and  Philip,  When  these  troops  arrived  the 
party  of  peace  took  possession  of  the  upper  city, 
while  Eleazar  and  the  war  party  held  the  Temple, 

"  For  a  week  fighting  went  on  between  the  two 
parties.  Then  at  the  festival  of  the  Wood  Carrying 
great  numbers  of  the  poorer  people  were  allowed 
by  the  party  of  the  chief  priest  to  pass  through  their 
lines  and  go  as  usual  to  the  Temple.  When  there 
these  joined  the  party  of  Eleazar,  and  a  great  attack 
was  made  on  the  upper  city.  The  troops  of  Darius 
and  Philip  gave  way.  The  house  of  Ananias,  the 
high-priest,  and  the  palaces  of  Agrippa  and  Bernice 
were  burned,  and  also  the  public  archives.  Here 
all  the  bonds  of  the  debtors  were  registered,  and 
thus  at  one  blow  the  power  of  the  rich  over  the 
poor  was  destroj'ed,  Ananias  hiinself  and  a  few 
others  escaped  into  the  upper  towers  of  the  palace, 
which  they  held. 


56  t'OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  The  next  day  Eleazar's  party  attacked  the  fort- 
ress of  Antonia,  which  was  feebly  garrisi  ned,  and 
after  two  days'  fighting  captured  it  and  slew  the 
garrison.  Manahem,  the  son  of  Judas  thu  Zealot, 
arrived  two  days  later,  while  the  people  were  be- 
sieging the  palace.  He  was  accepted  as  general  by 
them,  and  took  charge  of  the  siege.  Havinj^  mined 
under  one  of  the  towers  they  brought  it  to  the 
ground,  and  the  garrison  asked  for  terms.  Free 
passage  was  granted  to  the  troops  of  Agrippa  and 
the  Jews,  but  none  was  granted  to  the  Roman  sol- 
diers, who  were  few  in  number  and  retreatecf  to  the 
three  great  towers,  Hippicus,  Phasaelus,  an(?  Mari- 
amne. 

"  The  palace  was  entered  and  Ananias  and  Heze- 
kiah,  his  brother,  were  found  in  hiding  and  put  to 
death.  Manahem  now  assumed  the  state  of  a  king ; 
but  Eleazar,  unwilling  that,  after  having  led  the 
enterprise,  the  fruits  should  be  gathered  by  another 
stirred  up  the  people  against  him,  and  he  was  slain 
The  three  towers  were  now  besieged,  and  Metilius, 
the  Roman  commander,  finding  he  could  no  longer 
hold  out,  agreed  to  surrender,  on  the  condition  that 
his  men  should  deliver  up  their  arms  and  be  allowed 
to  march  away  unharmed. 

"  The  terms  were  accepted  and  ratified,  but  as  soon 
as  the  Roman  soldiers  marched  out  and  laid  down 
their  arms  Eleazar  and  his  followers  fell  upon  them 
and  slew  them,  Metilius  himself  being  alone  spared. 

"  After  this  terrible  massacre  a  sadness  fell  on  the 
city ;  all  felt  that  there  was  no  longer  any  hope  of 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  i*i 

making  conditions  with  Eome.  We  had  placed 
ourselves  beyond  the  pale  of  forgiveness.  It  was 
war  to  the  death  with  Rome.  Up  to  this  time,  as  1 
have  told  you,  I  was  one  of  those  who  had  labored 
to  maintain  peace.  I  had  fought  in  the  palace  by 
the  side  of  Ananias,  and  had  left  it  only  when  the 
troops,  and  we  of  their  party,  were  permitted  to 
march  out  when  it  surrendered  ;  but  from  this  time 
I  took  another  part.  All  hope  of  peace,  of  conces- 
sions, or  of  conditions  was  at  an  end.  There  re- 
mained nothing  now  but  to  tight ;  and  as  the 
vengeance  of  Rome  would  fall  on  the  whole  Jewish 
people,  it  was  for  the  whole  Jewish  people  to  unite 
in.  the  struggle  for  existence. 

"  On  the  very  day  and  hour  in  which  the  Romans 
were  put  to  death  retribution  began  to  fall  upon  the 
nation,  for  the  Greeks  of  Cassarea  rose  suddenly 
and  massacred  the  Jews.  Twenty  thousand  were 
slain  in  a  single  day.  The  news  of  these  two  mas- 
sacres drove  the  whole  people  to  madness.  They 
rose  throughout  the  land,  laid  waste  the  country 
all  round  the  cities  of  Syria — Philadelphia,  Sebo- 
nitis,  Gerasa,  Pella,  and  Scythopolis — and  burned 
and  destroyed  many  places. 

"  The  Syrians  in  turn  fell  upon  the  Jewish  inhab- 
itants of  all  their  towns,  and  a  frightful  carnage 
everywhere  took  place.  Then  our  people  made  an 
inroad  into  the  domains  of  Scythopolis,  but  though 
the  Jewish  inhabitants  there  joined  the  Syrians  in 
defending  their  territory,  the  Syrians  doubted  their 
fidelity,  and  falling  upon  them  in  the  night,  slew 


gg  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

them  all  and  seized  their  property.  Thirteen  thou- 
sand perished  here.  In  many  other  cities  the 
same  things  were  done;  in  Ascalon  twenty-five 
hundred  were  put  to  the  sword  ;  in  Ptolemais  two 
thousand  were  killed.  The  land  was  deluged  with 
blood,  and  despair  fell  upon  all. 

"  Even  in  Alexandria  our  countrymen  suffered. 
Breaking  out  into  a  quarrel  with  the  Greeks,  a 
tumult  arose,  and  Tiberias  Alexander,  the  governor, 
by  faith  a  Jew,  tried  to  pacify  matters,  but  the 
madness  which  had  seized  the  people  here  had  fallen 
also  upon  the  Jews  of  Alexandria.  They  heaped 
abuse  upon  Alexander,  who  was  forced  to  send  the 
troops  against  them.  The  Jews  fought,  but  vainly, 
and  fifty  thousand  men,  women,  and  children  fell. 

"  While  blood  was  flowing  over  the  land,  Cestius 
Gallus  the  prefect  was  preparing  for  invasion.  He 
had  with  him  the  Twelfth  Legion,  forty-two  hun- 
dred strong  ;  two  thousand  picked  men  taken  from 
the  other  legions ;  six  cohorts  of  foot,  about  twenty- 
five  hundred ;  and  four  troops  of  horse,  twelve 
hundred.  Of  allies  he  had  from  Antiochus  two 
thousand  horse  and  three  thousand  foot ;  from 
Agrippa,  one  thousand  horse  and  three  thousand 
foot ;  Sohemus  joined  him  with  four  thousand  men, 
a  third  of  whom  were  horse,  the  rest  archers.  Thus 
he  had  ten  thousand  Roman  troops  and  thirteen 
thousand  allies,  besides  many  volunteers  who  joined 
him  from  the  Syrian  cities.  After  burning  and 
pillaging  Zebulon,  and  wasting  the  district,  Cestius 
returned  to  Ptolemais,  and  then  advanced  to 
Caesarea. 


FOE  THE  TEMPLE.  {|§ 

"  He  sent  forward  a  part  of  his  array  to  Joppa. 
The  city  was  open  and  no  resistance  was  offered ; 
nevertheless  the  Romans  slew  all  to  the  number 
of  eighty-five  hundred.  The  cities  of  Galilee 
opened  their  gates  without  resistance,  and  Cestius 
advanced  against  Jerusalem,  When  he  arrived 
within  six  miles  of  the  town  the  Jews  poured  out 
and  fell  upon  thera  with  such  fury  that  if  the  horse 
and  Kght  troops  had  not  made  a  circuit  and  fallen 
upon  us  in  the  rear,  I  believe  we  should  have  de- 
stroyed the  whole  army.  But  we  were  forced  to 
fall  back,  having  killed  over  five  hundred. 

"  As  the  Romans  moved  forward,  Simon,  son  of 
Gioras,  with  a  band  pressed  them  closely  in  rear, 
and  slew  many  and  carried  off  numbers  of  their 
beasts  of  burden.  Agrippa  now  tried  once  more  to 
make  peace,  and  sent  a  deputation  to  persuade  us  to 
surrender,  offering  in  the  name  of  Cestius  pardon 
for  all  that  had  passed  ;  but  Eleazar's  party,  fearing 
the  people  might  listen  to  him,  fell  upon  the  depu- 
tation, slew  some  and  drove  the  others  back. 

"  Cestius  advanced  within  a  mile  of  Jerusalem, 
and  after  waiting  three  days  in  hopes  that  the 
Jews  would  surrender,  and  knowing  that  many 
of  the  chief  persons  were  friendly  to  him,  he  ad- 
vanced to  the  attack,  took  the  suburb  of  Bezetha, 
and  encamped  opposite  the  palace  in  the  upper  city. 
The  people  discovered  that  Ananias  and  his  friends 
had  agreed  to  open  the  gates,  and  so  slew  them  and 
threw  the  bodies  over  the  wall.  The  Romans  for 
five  days  attacked,  and  on  the  sixth  Cestius  with 


60  FOB  THE  TEMPLE 

the  flower  of  his  army  made  an  assault,  but  the 
people  fought  bravely,  and  disregarding  the  flights 
of  arrows  which  the  archers  shot  against  them,  held 
the  walls  and  poured  missiles  of  all  kinds  upon  the 
enemy,  until  at  last,  just  as  it  seemed  to  all  that  the 
Romans  would  succeed  in  mining  the  walls  and 
firing  the  gates,  Cestius  called  off  his  troops. 

"  Had  he  not  done  so  he  would  speedily  have 
taken  the  city,  for  the  peace  party  were  on  the 
point  of  seizing  one  of  the  gates  and  opening  it.  I 
no  longer  belonged  to  this  party,  for  it  seemed  to 
me  that  it  was  altogether  too  late  now  to  make 
terms,  nor  could  we  expect  that  the  Romans  would 
keep  to  their  conditions  after  we  had  set  them  the 
example  of  breaking  faith.  Qestius  fell  back  to  his 
camp,  a  mile  distant,  but  he  had  no  rest  there. 
Exultant  at  seeing  a  retreat  from  their  walls,  all 
the  people  poured  out  and  fell  upon  the  Romans 
with  fury. 

"  The  next  morning  Cestius  began  to  retreat,  but 
we  swarmed  around  him,  pressing  upon  his  rear 
and  dashing  down  from  the  hills  upon  his  flanks, 
giving  him  no  rest.  The  heavy-armed  Romans 
could  do  nothing  against  us,  but  marched  steadily 
on,  leaving  numbers  of  dead  behind  them,  till  they 
reached  their  former  camp  at  Gabao,  six  miles 
away. 

"  Here  Cestius  waited  two  days,  but  seeing-  how 
the  hills  around  him  swarmed  with  our  people,  who 
flocked  in  from  all  quarters,  he  gave  the  word  for  a 
further  retreat,  killing  all  the  beasts  of  burden  and 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  61 

leaving  all  the  baggage  behind,  and  taking  on  only 
those  animals  which  bore  the  arrows  and  engines  of 
war.  Then  he  marched  down  the  valley  toward 
Bethoron.  The  multitude  felt  now  that  their  enemy 
was  delivered  into  their  hands.  Was  it  not  in 
Bethoron  that  Joshua  had  defeated  the  Canaanites 
while  the  sun  stayed  his  course  ?  Was  it  not  here 
that  Judas  the  Maccabean  had  routed  the  host  of 
Nicanor  ?  As  soon  as  the  Komans  entered  the  de- 
file the  Jews  rushed  down  upon  them,  sure  of  their 
prey. 

"  The  Roman  horse  were  powerless  to  act ;  the 
men  of  the  legions  could  not  climb  the  rocky  sides, 
and  from  every  point  javelins,  stones,  and  arrows 
were  poured  down  upon  them,  and  all  would  have 
been  slain  had  not  night  come  on  and  hidden  them 
from  us,  and  enabled  them  to  reach  Bethoron. 
What  rejoicings  were  there  not  on  the  hills  that 
night  as  we  looked  down  on  their  camp  there,  and 
thought  that  in  the  morning  they  would  be  ours  1 
Fires  burned  on  every  crest ;  hymns  of  praise  and 
exultingr  cries  arose  evervwhere  in  the  darkness,  but 
the  watch  was  not  kept  strictly  enough.  Cestius 
left  four  hundred  of  his  bravest  men  to  mount 
guard  and  keep  the  fires  alight,  so  that  we  might 
think  that  all  his  army  was  there,  and  then  with 
the  rest  he  stole  away. 

"  In  the  morning  we  saw  that  the  camp  was  well- 
nigh  deserted ;  and  furious  at  the  escape  of  our 
foes,  rushed  down,  slew  the  four  hundred  whom 
Cestius  had  left  behind,  and  then  set  out  in  pursuit. 


63^  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

But  Cestius  had  many  hours'  start,  and  though  we 
followed  as  far  as  Antipatris  we  could  not  overtake 
him,  and  so  returned  with  much  rich  spoil  and  all 
the  Roman  engines  of  war  to  Jerusalem,  having, 
with  scarcely  any  loss,  defeated  a  great  Roman 
array  and  slain  fifty -three  hundred  foot  and  three 
hundred  and  eighty  horse. 

"  Such  is  the  history  of  events  which  have  brought 
about  the  present  state  of  things.  As  you  see, 
there  is  no  hope  of  pardon  or  mercy  from  Rome. 
We  have  offended  beyond  forgiveness.  But  the 
madness  against  which  I  fought  so  hard  at  first  is 
still  upon  the  people.  They  provoked  the  power 
of  Rome,  and  then  by  breaking  the  terms  and  mas- 
sacring the  Roman  garrison,  they  went  far  beyond 
the  first  offense  of  insurrection.  By  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  army  of  Cestius  they  struck  a  heavy 
blow  against  the  pride  of  the  Romans.  For  genera- 
tions no  such  misfortune  had  fallen  upon  their 
arms. 

"What,  then,  would  a  sane  people  have  done 
since?  Surely  they  would  have  spent  every  mo- 
ment in  preparing  themselves  for  the  struggle. 
Every  man  should  have  been  called  to  arms ;  the 
passes  should  have  been  all  fortified,  for  it  is  among 
the  hills  that  we  can  best  cope  with  the  heavy 
Roman  troops ;  the  cities  best  calculated  for  defense 
should  have  been  strongly  walled ;  preparations 
made  for  places  of  refuge  among  the  mountains  for 
the  women  and  children  ;  large  depots  of  provisions 
gathered  up  in  readiness  for  the  strife. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  63 

"That  we  could  ever  in  the  long  run  hope  to 
resist  successfully  the  might  of  Rome  was  out  of  the 
question ;  but  we  might  so  sternly  and  valiantly 
have  resisted  as  to  be  able  to  obtain  fair  terms  on 
our  submission.  Instead  of  this  men  go  on  as  if 
Rome  had  no  existence,  and  we  only  show  an 
energy  in  quarreling  among  ourselves.  At  bottom 
it  would  seem  that  the  people  rely  upon  our  God 
doing  great  things  for  us,  as  he  did  when  he  smote 
the  Assyrian  army  of  Sennacherib ;  and  such  is  my 
hope  also,  seeing  that  so  far  a  wonderful  success  has 
attended  us.  And  yet  how  can  one  expect  the 
divine  assistance  in  a  war  so  begun  and  so  con- 
ducted ;  for  a  people  who  turn  their  swords  against 
each  other,  who  spend  their  strength  in  civil  feuds, 
who  neither  humble  themselves  nor  repent  of  the 
wickedness  of  their  ways  ? 

"  Alas  !  my  son,  though  I  speak  brave  words  to  the 
people,  my  heart  is  very  sad,  and  I  fear  that  troubles 
like  those  which  fell  upon  us  when  we  were  carried 
captive  into  Babylon  await  us  now  !" 

There  was  silence  as  the  rabbi  finished.  John 
had  of  course  heard  something  of  the  events  which 
had  been  taking  place,  but  as  he  now  heard  them 
in  sequence,  the  gravity  and  danger  of  the  situation 
came  freshly  upon  him. 

"What  can  be  done?"  he  asked  after  a  long 
pause. 

"  Nothing  save  to  pray  to  the  Lord,"  the  rabbi 
said  sorrowfully.  "  Josephus  is  doing  what  he  can 
toward  building  walls  to  the  towns,  but  it  is  not 


64  FOB  TEE  TEMPLE. 

walls,  but  soldiers  that  are  wanted ;  and  so  long  as 
the  people  remain  blind  and  indifferent  to  the 
danger,  thinking  of  naught  save  tilling  their  ground 
and  laying  up  money,  nothing  can  be  done." 

"Then  will  destruction  come  upon  all?"  John 
asked,  looking  round  in  a  bewildered  and  hopeless 
way. 

"  We  may  hope  not,"  the  rabbi  said.  "  Here  in 
Galilee  we  have  had  no  share  in  the  events  in 
Jerusalem,  and  many  towns  even  now  are  faithful 
to  the  Romans ;  therefore  it  may  be  that  in  this 
province  all  will  not  be  involved  in  the  lot  of 
Jerusalem.  There  can  be,  unless  a  mighty  change 
takes  place,  no  general  resistance  to  the  Romans, 
and  it  may  be,  therefore,  that  no  general  destruc« 
tion  will  fall  upon  the  people.  As  to  this  none  cat 
say. 

"Vespasian,  the  Roman  general  who  has  been 
charged  by  Nero  with  the  command  of  the  army 
which  is  gathering  against  us,  is  said  to  be  a  merci- 
ful man  as  well  as  a  great  commander.  The 
Roman  mercies  are  not  tender,  but  it  may  be  that 
the  very  worst  may  not  fall  upon  this  province. 
The  men  of  spirit  and  courage  will  doubtless  proceed 
to  Jerusalem  to  share  in  the  defense  of  the  Holy 
City.  H  we  cannot  fight  with  success  here  it  is  far 
better  that  the  men  should  fight  at  Jerusalem, 
leaving  their  wives  and  families  here,  and  doing 
naught  to  call  down  the  vengeance  of  the  Romans 
upon  this  province. 

"  In  Galilee  there  have,  as  elsewhere,  been  risings 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  65 

against  the  Romans,  but  these  will  count  for  little 
in  their  eyes  in  comparison  to  the  terrible  deeds  at 
Jerusalem ;  and  I  pray,  for  the  sake  of  all  my 
friends  here,  that  the  Romans  may  march  through 
the  land  on  their  way  to  Jerusalem  without  burn- 
ing and  wasting  the  country.  Here  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  Galilee  there  is  much  more  hope  of  escape 
than  there  is  across  the  lake. 

"  Xot  only  are  we  out  of  the  line  of  the  march  of 
the  army,  but  there  are  few  important  cities  on  this 
side,  and  the  disposition  of  the  people  has  not  been 
so  hostile  to  the  Romans.  My  own  opinion  is  that 
when  the  Romans  advance  it  will  be  the  duty  of 
every  Jew  who  can  bear  arms  to  go  down  to  the 
defense  of  the  Holy  City.  Its  position  is  one  of 
vast  strength.  We  shall  have  numbers  and  cour- 
age,  though  neither  order  nor  discipline  ;  and  it  may 
be  that  at  the  last  the  Lord  will  defend  his  sanctu- 
ary and  save  it  from  destruction  at  the  hands  of  the 
heathen.  Should  it  not  be  so  we  can  but  die,  and 
how  could  a  Jew  better  die  than  in  defense  of 
God's  Temple  ?" 

"  It  would  have  been  better,"  Simon  said,  "  had 
we  not  by  our  evil  doings  have  brought  God's  Tem- 
ple into  danger.'' 

"  He  has  suffered  it,"  the  rabbi  said,  "  and  his 
ways  are  not  the  ways  of  man.  It  may  be  that  he 
has  suffered  such  madness  to  fall  upon  us  in  order 
that  his  name  may  at  last  be  glorified." 

"  May  it  be  so  !"  Simon  said  piously  ;  "  and  now 
let  us  to  bed,  for  the  hour  is  growing  late." 


96  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

The  following  morning  Simon,  his  wife,  and  the 
whole  household  accompanied  John  to  the  shore,  as 
Simon  had  arranged  with  one  of  the  boatmen  to 
take  the  lad  to  Hippos.  The  distance  was  but 
short,  but  Simon,  when  his  wife  had  expressed  sur- 
prise at  his  sending  John  in  a  boat,  said : 

"  It  is  not  the  distance,  Martha.  A  half-hour's 
walk  is  naught  to  the  lad  ;  but  I  had  reasons  alto- 
gether apart  from  the  question  of  distance.  John 
is  going  out  to  play  a  man's  part.  He  is  young, 
but  since  my  lord  Josephus  has  chosen  to  place  him 
among  those  who  form  his  body-guard,  he  has  a 
right  to  claim  to  be  regarded  as  a  man.  That  being 
so,  I  would  not  accompany  him  to  Hippos,  for  it 
would  seem  like  one  leading  a'  child,  and  it  were 
best  to  let  him  go  by  himself.  Again,  it  were 
better  to  have  but  one  parting.  Here  he  will 
receive  my  blessing,  and  say  good-by  to  us  all. 
Doubtless  he  will  often  be  with  us,  for  Tiberias  lies 
within  sight,  and  so  long  as  Josephus  remains  in 
Galilee  he  will  never  be  more  than  a  long  day's 
journey  from  home.  The  lad  loves  us,  and  will 
come  as  often  as  he  can ;  but  surrounded  as  Jose- 
phus is  by  dangers,  the  boy  will  not  be  able  to  get 
away  on  his  own  business.  He  must  take  the  duties 
as  well  as  the  honor  of  the  office,  and  we  must  not 
blind  ourselves  to  the  fact  that  in  one  of  these 
popular  tumults  great  danger  and  even  death  may 
come  upon  him. 

"  This  seems  to  you  terrible,"  he  went  on  in  an- 
swer to  an   exclamation   of  alarm   from  Martha ; 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  67 

"  but  it  does  not  seem  so  terrible  to  me.  We  go  on 
planting  and  gathering  in  as  if  no  danger  threat- 
ened us  and  the  evil  day  were  far  off,  but  it  is  not 
so ;  the  Roman  hosts  are  gathering,  and  we  are 
wasting  our  strength  in  party  strife  and  are  doing 
naught  to  prepare  against  the  storm.  We  have 
gone  to  war  without  counting  the  cost;  we  have 
affronted  and  put  to  shame  Rome,  before  whom  all 
nations  bow ;  and  assuredly  she  will  take  a  terrible 
vengeance.  Another  year,  and  who  can  say  who 
will  be  alive  and  who  dead — who  will  be  wander- 
ing over  the  wasted  fields  of  our  people  or  who  will 
be  a  slave  in  Rome ! 

"  In  the  times  that  are  at  hand  no  man's  life  will 
be  worth  anything ;  and  therefore  I  say,  wife,  that 
though  there  be  danger  and  peril  around  the  lad, 
let  us  not  trouble  overmuch,  for  he  is,  like  all  of  us, 
in  God's  hands." 

Therefore  the  parting  took  place  on  the  shore. 
Simon  solemnly  blessed  John,  and  his  mother  cried 
over  him.  Mary  was  a  little  surprised  at  these  dem- 
onstrations at  what  she  regarded  as  a  very  tem- 
porary separation,  but  her  merry  spirits  were 
subdued  at  the  the  sight  of  her  aunt's  tears,  although 
she  herself  saw  nothing  to  cry  about.  She  bright' 
ened  up,  however,  when  John  whispered,  as  he  said 
good-by  to  her : 

"  I  shall  come  across  the  lake  as  often  as  I  can  to 
see  how  you  are  getting  on,  Mary." 

Then  he  took  his  place  in  the  stern  of  the  boat, 
the  fishermen  dipped  their  oars  in  the  water,  and 


,68  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

the  boat  drew  away  from  the  little  group  who  stood 
watching  it  as  it  made  its  way  across  the  sparkling 
water  to  Hippos. 

Upon  landing  John  at  once  went  to  the  house 
where  Josephus  was  lodging.  The  latter  gave 
him  in  charge  to  the  leader  of  the  little  group  of 
men  who  attached  themselves  to  him  as  his  body- 
guard. 

"  Joab,"  he  said,  "  this  youth  will  henceforth 
make  one  of  your  party.  He  is  brave  and,  I  think, 
ready  and  quick-witted.  Give  him  arms  and  see 
that  he  has  all  that  is  needful.  Being  young,  he 
will  be  able  to  mingle  unsuspected  among  the 
crowds,  and  may  obtain  tidings  of  evil  intended  me, 
when  men  would  not  speak  maybe  before  others 
whom  they  might  judge  my  friends.  He  will  be 
able  to  bear  messages  unsuspected,  and  may  prove 
of  great  service  to  the  cause." 

John  found  at  once  that  there  was  nothing  like 
discipline  or  regular  duties  among  the  little  band 
who  constituted  the  body-guard  of  Josephus.  They 
w^ere  simply  men  who,  from  affection  for  the  gov- 
ernor and  a  hatred  for  those  who,  by  their  plots 
and  conspiracies,  would  undo  the  good  work  he 
was  accomplishing,  had  left  their  farms  and  occu- 
pations to  follow  and  guard  him. 

Every  Jewish  boy  received  a  certain  training  in 
the  use  of  weapons  in  order  to  be  prepared  to  light 
in  the  national  array  when  the  day  of  deliverance 
should  arrive,  but  beyond  that  the  Jews  had  no 
military  training  whatever.     Their  army  would  be 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  69 

simply  a  gathering  of  the  men  capable  of  bearing 
arms  throughout  the  land — each  ready  to  give  his 
life  for  his  faith  and  his  country,  relying  like  their 
forefathers  on  the  sword  of  the  Lord  and  Israel, 
but  without  the  sligh  test  idea  of  military  drill, 
discipline,  or  tactics.  Such  an  array  might  fight 
bravely,  might  die  nobly,  but  it  could  have  little 
chance  of  victory  over  the  well- trained  legions  of 
imperial  Rome. 

At  noon  Josephus  embarked  in  a  galley  with  his 
little  band  of  followers,  eight  in  number,  and  sailed 
across  the  lake  to  Tiberias.  Here  they  landed  and 
went  up  to  the  house  in  which  Josephus  always 
dwelt  when  in  that  city.  His  stay  there  was  gen- 
erally short,  Tarichea  being  his  general  abode,  for 
there  he  felt  in  safety,  the  inhabitants  being  devoted 
to  him ;  while  those  of  Tiberias  were  ever  ready  to 
follow  the  advice  of  the  disaffected,  and  a  section 
were  eager  for  the  return  of  the  Romans  and  the 
renewal  of  the  business  and  trade  which  had 
brought  wealth  to  the  city  before  the  troubles  be- 
gan. That  evening  Josephus  sent  for  John,  and 
said  : 

"  I  purpose  in  two  days  to  go  to  Tarichea,  where 
I  shall  spend  the  Sabbath.  I  hear  that  there  is  a 
rumor  that  many  of  the  citizens  have  privately  sent 
to  King  Agrippa  asking  him  to  send  hither  Roman 
troops,  and  promising  them  a  good  reception.  The 
men  with  me  are  known  to  many  in  the  city  and 
would  be  shunned  by  my  enemies,  and  so  would 
hear  naught  of  what  is  going  on  ;  therefore  I  pur- 


70  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

pose  to  leave  you  here.  In  the  morning  go  early  to 
the  house  of  Samuel,  the  son  of  Gideon.  He  dwells 
in  the  street  called  that  of  Tarichea,  for  it  leadeth 
in  the  direction  of  that  town.  He  is  a  tanner  by 
trade,  and  you  will  have  no  difficulty  in  finding  it. 
He  has  been  here  this  evening,  and  I  have  spoken  to 
him  about  you,  and  when  you  present  yourself  to 
him  he  will  take  you  in.  Thus  no  one  will  know 
that  you  are  of  my  company.  Pass  your  time  in 
the  streets,  and  when  you  see  groups  of  people  as. 
semble  join  yourself  to  them  and  gather  what  they 
are  saying.  If  it  is  aught  that  is  important  for  me 
to  know,  come  here  and  tell  me  ;  or  if  it  be  after  I 
have  departed  for  Tarichea,  bring  me  the  news  there. 
It  is  but  thirty  furlongs  distant." 

John  followed  up  the  instructions  given  him,  and 
was  hospitably  received  by  Samuel  the  tanner. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  a  number  of  the  citizens 
called  upon  Josephus  and  begged  him  at  once  to  set 
about  building  walls  for  the  town,  as  he  had  aL 
ready  built  them  for  Tarichea.  When  he  assured 
them  that  he  had  already  made  preparations  for 
doing  so,  and  that  the  builders  should  set  to  work 
forthwith,  they  appeared  satisfied,  and  the  city  re- 
mained perfectly  tranquil  until  Josephus  left  the 
next  morning  for  Tarichea. 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLK  7I 


CHAPTEE  IV. 

THE  LULL  BEFOBE  THE  STOKM. 

The  galley  which  carried  Josephus  from  Tiberias 
was  scarcely  out  of  sight  when  John,  who  was  stand- 
ing in  the  market-place  watching  the  busy  scene 
with  amusement,  heard  the  shout  raised:  "  The 
Romans  are  coming !"  At  once  people  left  their 
business  and  all  ran  to  the  outskirts  of  the  city. 
John  ran  with  them,  and  on  arriving  there  saw  a 
party  of  Roman  horsemen  riding  along  at  no  great 
distance.  The  people  began  to  shout  loudly  to 
them  to  come  into  the  town,  calling  out  that  all  the 
citizens  were  loyal  to  King  Agrippa  and  the  Ro- 
mans, and  that  they  hated  the  traitor  Josephus. 

The  Romans  halted,  but  made  no  sign  of  entering 
the  town,  fearing  that  treachery  was  intended,  and 
remembering  the  fate  of  their  comrades  who  had 
trusted  to  Jewish  faith  when  they  surrendered  the 
towers  of  Hippicus,  Phasaelus,  and  Mariarane.  The 
movement,  however,  spread  through  the  city  ;  the 
people  assembled  in  crowds  shouting  "  Death  to 
Josephus!"  and  exclaiming  for  the  Romans  and 
King  Agrippa. 


7)3  J^'^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Such  as  were  loyal  to  Josephus  did  not  venture  to 
raise  their  voices,  so  numerous  and  furious  were  the 
multitude ;  and  the  whole  city  was  soon  in  open  re- 
volt, the  citizens  arming  themselves  in  readiness  for 
war.  As  soon  as  he  saw  the  course  which  affairs 
were  taking,  John  made  his  way  out  of  the  town 
and  ran  ut  the  top  of  his  speed  to  Tarichea,  where 
he  arrived  in  a  little  over  half  an  hour.  He  was 
directed  at  once  to  the  house  of  Josephus,  who  rose 
in  surprise  at  the  table  at  which  he  was  seated  writ, 
ing  at  John's  entry. 

"Scarcely  had  you  left,  ray  lord,  than  some  Eo, 
man  horsemen  approached  near  the  town,  where- 
upon the  whole  city  rose  in  revolt,  shouting  to  them 
to  enter  and  take  possession  in  the  name  of  the  king, 
and  breathing  out  threats  against  yourself.  The 
Romans  had  not  entered  as  I  came  away  ;  but  the 
populace  were  all  in  arms,  and  your  friends  did  not 
venture  to  lift  up  a  voice.  Tiberias  has  wholly  re- 
volted to  the  Romans." 

"  This  is  bad  news,  indeed,"  Josephus  said  grave- 
ly. "  I  have  but  the  seven  armed  men  who  accom- 
panied me  fr.om  Tiberias  here.  All  those  who  were 
assembled  in  the  city  I  bade  disperse  so  soon  as  I 
arrived,  in  order  that  they  might  go  to  their  towns 
or  villages  for  the  Sabbath.  Were  I  to  send  round 
the  country  I  could  speedily  get  a  great  force  to- 
gether ;  but  in  a  few  hours  the  Sabbath  will  begin, 
and  it  is  contrary  to  the  law  to  fight  upon  the  Sab- 
bath, even  though  the  necessity  be  great.  And  yet 
if  the  people  of  Tiberias  march  hither  we  can  hardly 


FOE  THE  TEMPLE.  73 

hope  to  resist  successfully,  for  the  men  of  the  town 
are  too  few  to  man  the  full  extent  of  the  walls.  It 
is  most  necessary  to  put  down  this  rising  before 
King  Agrippa  can  send  large  numbers  of  troops 
into  Tiberias ;  and  yet  we  can  do  nothing  until  the 
Sabbath  is  past. 

"  Nor  would  I  shed  blood  if  it  can  be  avoided. 
Hitherto  I  have  put  down  every  rising,  and  caused 
Sepphoris,  Tiberias,  and  other  cities  to  expel  the 
evil-doers  and  return  to  obedience  by  tact  and  by 
the  great  force  which  I  could  bring  against  them, 
and  without  any  need  of  bloodshed.  But  this  time, 
I  fear,  great  trouble  will  come  of  it,  since  I  cannot 
take  prompt  measures,  and  the  enemy  will  have 
time  to  organize  their  forces  and  to  receive  help 
from  John  of  Gischala  and  other  robbers,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  Romans." 

Josephus  walked  up  and  down  the  room  in  agita- 
tion, and  then  stood  looking  out  into  the  harbor. 

"  Ah !"  he  exclaimed  suddenly,  "  we  may  yet 
frighten  them  into  submission.     Call  in  Joab." 

When  Joab  entered  Josephus  explained  to  him  in 
a  few  words  the  condition  of  things  at  Tiberias  and 
then  proceeded : 

"  Send  quickly  to  the  principal  men  of  the  town 
and  bid  them  put  trusty  men  at  each  of  the  gates 
and  let  none  pass  out ;  order  the  fighting  men  to 
man  the  walls  in  case  those  of  Tiberias  should  come 
hither  at  once ;  then  let  one  or  two  able  fellows 
embark  on  board  each  of  the  boats  and  vessels  in 
the  port,  taking  with  them  two  or  three  of  the  ip- 


74  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

firm  and  aged  men.  Send  a  fast  galley  across  to 
Hippos  and  bid  the  fishermen  set  out  at  once  with 
all  their  boats  and  join  us  off  Tiberias.  We  will 
not  approach  close  enough  to  the  city  for  the  peo- 
ple to  see  how  feebly  we  are  manned,  but  when 
they  perceive  all  these  ships  making  toward  them 
they  will  think  that  I  have  with  me  a  great  array 
with  which  I  propose  to  destroy  their  city." 

The  orders  were  very  quickly  carried  out. 
Josephus  embarked  with  his  eight  companions  in 
one  ship,  and,  followed  by  two  hundred  and  thirty 
vessels  of  various  sizes,  sailed  toward  Tiberias.  As 
they  approached  the  town  they  saw  a  great  move- 
ment among  the  population.  Men  and  women  were 
seen  crowding  down  to  the  shore — the  men  holding 
up  their  hands  to  show  that  they  were  unarmed, 
the  women  wailing  and  uttering  loud  cries  of 
lamentation. 

Josephus  waited  for  an  hour  until  the  ships  from 
Hippos  also  came  up  and  then  caused  them  all  to 
anchor  off  the  town,  but  at  such  a  distance  that  the 
numbers  of  those  on  board  could  not  be  seen.  Then 
he  advanced  in  his  own  ship  to  within  speaking  dis- 
tance of  the  land.  The  people  cried  out  to  him  to 
spare  the  city  and  their  wives  and  children,  saying 
that  they  had  been  misled  by  evil  men  and  regretted 
bitterly  what  they  had  done. 

Josephus  told  them  that  assuredly  they  deserved 
that  the  city  should  be  wholly  destroyed,  for  that 
now  when  there  was  so  much  that  had  to  be  done 
to  prepare  for  the  war  which  Rome  would  make 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE,  75 

against  the  countr}'^  they  troubled  the  country  with 
their  seditions.  The  people  set  up  a  doleful  cry  for 
mercy,  and  Josephus  then  said  that  this  time  he 
would  spare  thera,  but  that  their  principal  men 
must  be  handed  over  to  hira. 

To  this  the  people  joyfully  agreed,  and  a  boat 
with  ten  of  their  senate  came  out  to  the  vessel. 
Josephus  had  thera  bound  and  sent  them  on  board 
/)ne  of  the  other  ships.  Another  and  another  boat- 
ioad  came  off,  until  all  the  members  of  the  senate 
xnd  many  of  the  principal  inhabitants  were  prison- 
ers. Some  of  the  men  had  been  drawn  from  the 
other  ships  and  put  on  board  those  with  the  prison- 
ers, and  these  then  sailed  away  to  Tarichea. 

The  people  of  Tiberias,  terrified  at  seeing  so 
many  taken  away  and  not  knowing  how  many 
more  might  be  demanded,  now  denounced  a  young 
man  named  Clitus  as  being  the  leader  of  the  revolt. 
Seven  of  the  body-guard  of  Josephus  had  gone  down 
the  lake  with  the  prisoners,  and  one  Levi  alone  re- 
mained. Josephus  told  him  to  go  ashore  and  to  cut 
off  one  of  the  hands  of  Clitus.  Levi  was,  however, 
afraid  to  land  alone  among  such  a  number  of 
enemies,  whereupon  Josephus  addressed  Clitus,  and 
told  him  that  he  was  worthy  of  death,  but  that  he 
would  spare  his  life,  if  his  two  hands  were  sent  on 
board  a  ship. 

Clitus  begged  that  he  might  be  permitted  to  keep 
one  hand,  to  which  Josephus  agreed.  Clitus  then 
drew  his  svvord  and  struck  off  his  left  hand. 
Josephus  now  professed  to  be  satisfied,  and  after 


Q^  FOB  THE  TEMPLE, 

warning  the  people  against  again  listening  to  evil 
advisers  sailed  away  with  the  whole  fleet.  Josephus 
that  evening  entertained  the  principal  persons 
among  the  prisoners,  and  in  the  morning  allowed 
all  to  return  to  Tiberias. 

The  people  there  had  already  learned  that  they 
had  been  duped,  but  with  time  had  come  reflection, 
and  knowing  that  in  a  day  or  two  Josephus  could 
have  assembled  the  whole  population  of  Galilee 
against  them  and  have  destroyed  them  before  any 
help  could  come,  there  were  few  who  were  not  well 
content  that  their  revolt  had  been  so  easily  and 
bloodlessly  repressed,  and  Josephus  rose  in  their 
estimation  by  the  quickness  and  boldness  of  the 
stratagem  by  which  he  had,' without  bloodshed, 
save  in  the  punishment  of  Clitus,  restored  tran- 
quillity. 

Through  the  winter  Josephus  was  incessantly 
active.  He  endeavored  to  organize  an  array,  en- 
rolled a  hundred  thousand  men,  appointed  com- 
manders and  captains,  and  strove  to  establish  some- 
thing like  military  drill  and  order.  But  the  people 
were  averse  to  leaving  their  farms  and  occupations, 
and  but  little  progress  was  made.  Moreover,  a 
great  part  of  the  time  of  Josephus  was  occupied  in 
suppressing  the  revolts  which  were  continually 
breaking  out  in  Sepphoris,  Tiberias,  and  Gamala, 
and  in  thwarting  the  attempts  of  John  of  Gischala 
and  his  other  enemies,  who  strove  by  means  of 
bribery  at  Jerusalem  to  have  him  recalled,  and  would 
have  succeeded  had  it  not  been  that  the  Galileans, 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  fif 

save  those  of  the  great  cities,  were  always  ready  to 
turn  out  in  all  their  force  to  defend  him,  and  by 
sending  deputations  to  Jerusalem  counteracted  the 
efforts  there  of  his  enemies. 

John  was  incessantly  engaged  as  he  accompanied 
Josephus  in  his  rapid  journeys  through  the  province 
either  to  suppress  the  risings  or  to  see  to  the  work 
of  organization  ;  and  only  once  or  twice  was  he  able 
to  pay  a  short  visit  to  his  family. 

"  You  look  worn  and  fagged,  John,"  his  cousin 
said  on  the  occasion  of  his  last  visit,  when  spring 
was  close  at  hand. 

"  I  am  well  in  health,  Mary,  but  it  does  try  one 
to  see  how  all  the  efforts  of  Josephus  are  marred  by 
the  turbulence  of  the  people  of  Tiberias  and  Sep- 
phoris.  All  his  thoughts  and  time  are  occupied  in 
keeping  order,  and  the  work  of  organizing  the  army 
makes  but  little  progress.  Yespasian  is  gathering  a 
great  force  at  Antioch.  His  son  Titus  will  soon  join 
him  with  another  legion,  and  they  will  together 
advance  against  us." 

"  But  I  hear  that  the  walling  of  the  cities  is  well- 
nigh  finished." 

"  That  is  so,  Mary,  and  doubtless  many  of  them 
will  be  able  to  make  a  long  defense  ;  but,  after  all, 
the  taking  of  a  city  is  a  mere  question  of  time. 
The  Romans  have  great  siege  engines  which  nothing 
can  withstand  ;  but  even  if  the  walls  were  so  strong 
that  they  could  not  be  battered  down,  each  city 
could  in  time  be  reduced  by  famine.  It  is  not  for 
me,  who  am  but  a  boy,  to  judge  the  doings  of  my 


78  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.     . 

elders,  but  it  seems  to  me  that  this  walling  of  cities 
is  altogether  wrong.  They  can  give  no  aid  to  each 
other,  and  one  by  one  must  fall  and  all  within  per- 
ish or  be  made  slaves,  for  the  Romans  give  no  quar- 
ter when  they  capture  a  city  by  storm. 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  it  would  be  far  better  to 
hold  Jerusalem  only  with  a  strong  force  of  fighting 
men,  and  for  all  the  rest  of  the  men  capable  of  car- 
rying arms  to  gather  among  the  hills  and  there  to 
fight  the  Romans.  When  the  legion  of  Cestius  was 
destroyed  we  showed  that  among  defiles  and  on 
rocky  ground  our  active  lightly  armed  men  were  a 
match  for  the  Roman  soldiers  in  their  heavy  armor, 
and  in  this  way  I  think  that  we  might  check  even 
the  legions  of  Vespasian. 

"  The  women  and  the  old  men  and  children  could 
gather  in  the  cities  and  admit  the  Romans  when 
they  approached.  In  that  case  they  would  suffer 
no  harm,  for  the  Romans  are  clement  when  not  op- 
posed. As  it  is,  it  seems  to  me  that  in  the  end  de- 
struction will  fall  on  all  alike.  Here  in  Galilee  we 
have  a  leader,  but  he  is  hampered  by  dissensions 
and  jealousies.  Samaria  stands  neutral.  Jerusa- 
lem, which  ought  to  take  the  lead,  is  torn  by  fac- 
tion. There  is  war  in  her  streets ;  she  thinks  only 
of  herself  and  naught  of  the  country,  although  she 
must  know  that  when  the  Romans  have  crushed 
down  all  opposition  elsewhere  she  must  sooner  or 
later  fall.  The  country  seems  possessed  with  mad- 
ness, and  I  see  no  hope  m  the  future." 

"  Save  in  the  God  of  Israel,"  Mary  said  gently  ; 
"  that  is  what  Simon  and  Martha  say." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  79 

"  Save  in  him,"  John  assented  ;  "  but,  dear,  he 
suffered  us  to  be  carried  away  into  Babylon,  and 
how  are  we  to  expect  his  aid  now  when  the  people 
do  naught  for  themselves,  when  his  cit}'  is  divided 
in  itself,  when  its  streets  are  wet  with  blood,  and 
its  very  altars  defiled  by  conflict  ?  When  evil  men 
are  made  high-priests  and  all  rule  and  authority  is 
at  an  end,  what  right  have  we  to  expect  aid  at  the 
hands  of  Jehovah  'i  My  greatest  comfort,  Mary,  is 
that  we  lie  here  on  the  east  of  the  lake,  and  that 
we  are  within  the  jurisdiction  of  King  Agrippa.  On 
this  side  his  authority  has  never  been  altogether 
thrown  off,  though  some  of  the  cities  have  made 
common  cause  with  those  of  the  other  side.  Still, 
we  may  hope  that  on  this  side  of  Jordan  we  may 
escape  the  horrors  of  war." 

"  You  are  out  of  spirits,  John,  and  take  a  gloomy 
view  of  things  ;  but  I  know  that  Simon,  too,  thinks 
that  everything  will  end  badly,  and  I  have  heard 
him  say  that  he  too  is  glad  that  his  farm  lies  on  this 
side  of  the  lake,  and  that  he  wishes  Gamala  had  not 
thrown  off  the  authority  of  the  king,  so  that  there 
might  be  naught  to  bring  the  Romans  across  Jor- 
dan. Our  mother  is  more  hopeful ;  she  trusts  in 
God,  for,  as  she  says,  though  the  wealthy  and  pow- 
erful may  have  forsaken  him,  the  people  still  cling 
to  him,  and  he  will  not  let  us  fall  into  the  hands 
of  our  enemies." 

"  I  hope  it  will  be  so,  Mary,  and  I  owti  I  am  out 
of  spirits  and  look  at  matters  in  the  worst  light ; 
howeveu,  I  will  have  a  talk  with  father  to-night." 


80  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

That  evening  John  had  a  long  conversation  with 
Simon,  and  repeated  the  forebodings  he  had  ex- 
pressed to  Mary. 

"At  any  rate,  farther,  I  hope  that  when  the 
Romans  approach  you  will  at  least  send  away  my 
mother,  Mary,  and  the  women  to  a  place  of  safety. 
"We  are  but  a  few  miles  from  Gamala,  and  if  the 
Romans  come  there  and  besiege  it  they  will  spread 
through  the  countr3%  and  will  pillage,  even  if  they 
do  not  slay,  in  all  the  villages.  If,  as  we  trust,  God 
will  give  victory  to  our  arms,  they  can  return  in 
peace  ;  if  not,  let  them  at  least  be  free  from  the 
dangers  which  are  threatening  us." 

"  I  have  been  thinking  of  it,  John.  A  fortnight 
since  I  sent  old  Isaac  to  your  mother's  brother, 
whose  farm,  as  you  know,  lies  upon  the  slopes  of 
Mount  Hermon,  a  few  miles  from  Neve,  and  very 
near  the  boundary  of  Manasseh,  to  ask  him  if  he 
will  receive  Martha,  and  Mary,  and  the  women 
until  the  troubles  are  over.  He  will  gladly  do  so, 
and  I  purpose  sending  them  away  as  soon  as  I  hear 
that  the  Romans  have  crossed  the  frontier," 

"  I  am  indeed  rejoiced  to  hear  it,  father ;  but  do 
not  let  them  tarry  for  that,  let  them  go  as  soon  as 
the  snows  have  melted  on  Mount  Hermon,  for  the 
Roman  cavalr}'^  will  spread  quickly  over  the  land. 
Let  them  go  as  soon  as  the  roads  are  fit  for  travel. 
I  shall  feel  a  weight  off  my  mind  when  I  know  that 
they  are  safe.  And  does  my  mother  know  what 
you  have  decided  ?" 

"  She  knows,  John,  but  in  truth  she  is  reluctant  to 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  81 

go.  She  says  at  present  that  if  I  stay  she  also  will 
stay." 

"I  trust,  father,  that  you  will  overrule  my 
mother ;  and  that  you  will  either  go  with  her,  or  if 
you  stay  you  will  insist  upon  her  going ;  should  you 
not  overcome  her  opposition  and  finally  suffer  her 
with  Miriam,  and  the  older  women,  to  remain  with 
you,  1  hope  that  you  will  send  Mary  and  the  young 
ones  to  my  uncle.  The  danger  with  them  is  vastly 
greater ;  the  Romans,  unless  their  blood  is  heated 
by  opposition,  may  not  interfere  with  the  old 
people,  who  are  valueless  as  slaves,  but  the  young 
ones "     And  he  stopped. 

"  I  have  thought  it  over,  my  son,  and  even  if 
your  mother  remains  here  with  me  I  will  as- 
suredly send  off  Mary  and  the  young  maidens  to 
the  mountain.  Make  your  mind  easy  on  that  score. 
"We  old  people  have  taken  root  on  the  land  which 
was  our  fathers'.  I  shall  not  leave,  whatever  may 
befall,  and  it  may  be  that  your  mother  will  tarry 
here  with  me,  but  the  young  women  shall  assuredly 
be  sent  away  until  the  danger  is  over.  Not  that  I 
think  the  peril  is  as  great  as  it  seems  to  you.  Our 
people  have  ever  shown  themselves  courageous  in 
great  danger  ;  they  know  the  fate  that  awaits  them 
after  provoking  the  anger  of  Rome.  They  know 
they  are  fighting  for  faith^  for  country,  and  their 
families,  and  will  fignt  desperately.  They  greatly 
outnumber  the  Romans,  at  least  the  army  by  which 
we  shall  first  be  attacked,  and  maybe  if  we  can 
resist  that  we  may  make  terms  with  Rome,  for 
assuredly  in  the  long  run  she  must^overpower  us." 


8^  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  I  should  think  with  you,  father,"  John  said, 
shaking  his  head,  "if  I  saw  anything  like  union 
-among  the  people,  but  I  lose  all  heart  when  I  see 
how  divided  they  are,  how  blind  to  the  storm  that 
is  coming  against  us,  how  careless  as  to  anything 
but  the  trouble  of  the  day,  how  intent  upon  the 
work  of  their  farms  and  businesses,  how  disinclined 
to  submit  to  discipline  and  to  prepare  themselves 
for  the  day  of  battle." 

"  You  are  young,  my  son,  and  full  of  enthusiasm, 
but  it  is  hard  to  stir  men  whose  lives  have  traveled 
in  one  groove  from  their  ordinary  course.  In  all 
our  history,  although  we  have  been  ready  to  as- 
semble and  meet  the  foe,  we  have  ever  been  ready 
to  lay  by  the  sword  when  the. danger  is  past,  and  to 
return  to  our  homes  and  families.  We  have  been  a 
nation  of  lighting  men,  but  never  a  nation  with  an 
army." 

"  Yes,  father,  because  we  trusted  in  God  to  give 
us  victory  on  the  day  of  battle.  He  was  our  army. 
When  he  fought  with  us  we  conquered,  when  he 
abstained  we  were  beaten.  He  suffered  us  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  Romans,  and  instead  of  re- 
penting of  our  sins  we  have  sinned  more  and  more. 
The  news  from  Jerusalem  is  worse  and  worse. 
There  is  civil  war  in  its  streets.  Robbers  are  its 
masters.  The  worst  of  the  people  sit  in  high 
place." 

"That  is  so,  my  son.  God's  anger  still  burns 
fiercely,  and  the  people  perish  ;  yet  it  may  be  that 
he  will  be  raercifnl  in  the  end." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  ^ 

"  I  hope  SO,  father,  for  assuredly  our  hope  is  only 
in  him." 

Early  in  the  spring  Yespasian  was  joined  by 
King  Agrippa  with  all  his  forces,  and  they  advanced 
to  Ptolemais,  and  here  Titus  joined  his  father,  hav- 
ing brought  his  troops  from  Alexandria  by  sea. 
The  force  of  Yespasian  now  consisted  of  the  Fifth, 
Tenth,  and  Fifteenth  legions.  Besides  these  he 
had  twenty-three  cohorts,  ten  of  which  numbered 
a  thousand  footmen,  the  rest  each  six  hundred 
footmen  and  a  hundred  and  fifty  horse. 

The  allied  force  contributed  by  Agrippa  and 
others  consisted  of  two  thousand  archers  and  a 
thousand  horse ;  while  Malchus,  King  of  Arabia, 
sent  a  thousand  horse  and  five  thousand  archers. 
The  total  force  amounted  to  sixty  thousand  regular 
troops,  besides  great  numbers  of  camp-followers, 
who  were  all  trained  to  military  service  and  could 
fight  in  case  of  need.  Yespasian  had  encountered 
no  resistance  on  his  march  down  to  Ptolemais. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  country  through  which  he 
passed  forsook  the  villages  and  farms,  and  retired, 
according  to  the  orders  they  had  received,  to  the 
fortified  towns. 

There  was  no  army  to  meet  the  Romans  in  the 
field.  The  efforts  at  organization  which  Josephus 
had  made  bore  no  fruit  whatever.  No  sooner  had 
the  invader  entered  the  country  than  it  lay  at  his 
mercy,  save  only  the  walled  cities  into  which  the 
people  had  crowded.  In  the  range  of  mountains 
stretching  across  Upper  Galilee  were  three  places 


84  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE, 

of  great  strength,  Gabara,  Gischala,  and  Jotapata. 
The  last  named  had  been  very  strongly  fortified  by 
Josephus  himself,  and  here  he  intended  to  take  up 
his  own  position. 

"It  is  a  pitiful  sight  truly,"  Joab  remarked  to 
John  as  they  saw  the  long  line  of  fugitives,  men, 
women,  and  children,  with  such  belongings  as  they 
could  carry  on  their  own  backs  and  those  of  their 
beasts  of  burden — "  it  is  a  pitiful  sight,  is  it  not  ?" 

"  It  is  a  pitiful  sight,  Joab,  and  one  that  fills  me 
with  foreboding  as  well  as  with  pity.  What  agonies 
may  not  these  poor  people  be  doomed  to  suffer 
when  the  Romans  lay  siege  to  Jotapata !" 

"  They  can  never  take  it,"  Joab  said  scornfully. 

"  I  wish  I  could  think  so,  Joab.  When  did  the 
Romans  ever  lay  siege  to  a  place  and  fail  to  capture 
it?  Once,  twice,  three  times  they  may  fail,  but  in 
the  end  they  assuredly  will  take  it." 

"  Look  at  its  position.  See  how  wild  is  the  coun- 
try through  which  they  will  have  to  march." 

"  They  have  made  roads  over  all  the  world,  Joab ; 
they  will  make  very  short  work  of  the  difficulties 
here.  It  may  take  the  Romans  weeks  or  months  to 
besiege  each  of  these  strong  places,  but  they  will 
assuredly  carry  them  in  the  end,  and  then  better  a 
thousand  times  that  the  men  had  in  the  first  place 
slain  the  women  and  rushed  to  die  on  the  Roman 
swords." 

"  It  seems  to  me,  John,"  Joab  said  stiffly,  "  that 
you  are  overbold  in  thus  criticising  the  plans  of  our 
general." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  85 

"  It  may  be  so,"  John  said  recklessly,  "  but 
methinks  when  we  are  all  risking  our  lives,  each 
man  may  have  a  right  to  his  opinions.  I  am  ready, 
like  the  rest,  to  die  when  the  time  comes,  but  that 
does  not  prevent  me  having  ray  opinions  ;  besides, 
it  seems  to  me  that  there  is  no  heresy  in  question- 
ing the  plans  of  our  general.  I  love  Josephus,  and 
would  willingly  give  my  life  for  him.  He  has 
shown  himself  a  wise  ruler,  firm  to  carry  out  what 
is  right  and  to  suppress  all  evil-doers ;  but,  after 
all,  he  has  not  served  in  war.  He  is  full  of  resources, 
and  will,  1  doubt  not,  devise  ever}'^  means  to  check 
the  Romans ;  but  even  so,  he  may  not  be  able  to 
cope  in  war  with  such  generals  as  theirs,  who  have 
won  their  experience  all  over  the  world.  Nor  may 
the  general's  plan  of  defense  which  he  has  adopted 
be  the  best  suited  for  the  occasion." 

"  Would  you  have  us  fight  the  Romans  in  the 
open  ?"  Joab  said  scornfully.  "  What  has  been 
done  in  the  south  ?  See  how  our  people  marched 
out  from  Jerusalem  under  John  the  Essene,  Niger 
of  PeraBa,  and  Silas  the  Babylonian  to  attack  Asca- 
lon,  held  by  but  one  cohort  of  Roman  foot  and  one 
troop  of  horse.  What  happened  ?  Antoninus,  the 
Roman  commander,  charged  the  army  without  fear, 
rode  through  and  through  them,  broke  them  up 
into  fragments,  and  slew  till  night-time,  when  ten 
thousand  men,  with  John  and  Silas,  lay  dead.  JSTot 
satisfied  with  this  defeat,  in  a  short  time  Niger  ad- 
vanced again  against  Ascalon,  when  Antoninus 
sallied  out  again  and  slew  eight  thousand  of  them. 


86  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Thus  eighteen  thousand  men  were  killed  by  one 
weak  cohort  of  foot  and  a  troop  of  horse,  and  yet 
you  say  we  ought  not  to  hide  behind  our  walls,  but 
to  meet  them  in  the  open  !" 

"  I  would  not  meet  them  in  the  open  where  the 
Roman  cavalry  could  charge,  at  any  rate  not  until 
our  people  have  learned  discipline.  I  would  harass 
them  and  attack  them  in  defiles,  as  Cestius  was  at- 
tacked ;  harassing  them  night  and  day,  giving  them 
no  peace  or  rest,  never  allowing  them  to  meet  us  in 
the  plains,  but  moving  rapidly  hither  and  thither 
among  the  mountains,  leaving  the  women  in  the 
cities,  which  should  offer  no  resistance,  so  that  the 
Romans  would  have  no  point  to  strike  at,  until  at 
length,  when  we  have  gained  confidence  and  dis- 
cipline and  order,  we  should  be  able  to  take  bolder 
measures  gradually  and  fight  them  hand  to  hand.'' 

"  Maybe  you  are  right,  lad,"  Joab  said  thought- 
fully. "  I  like  not  being  cooped  up  in  a  stronghold 
myself,  and  methinks  that  a  mountain  warfare  such 
as  you  speak  of  would  suit  the  genius  of  the  people  ; 
we  are  light-limbed  and  active,  inured  to  fatigue, 
for  we  are  a  nation  of  cultivators,  brave  assuredly 
and  ready  to  give  our  lives.  They  say  that  in  the 
fight  near  Ascalon  not  a  Jew  fled.  Fight  they 
could  not,  they  were  powerless  against  the  rush  of 
the  heavy  Roman  horse,  but  they  died  as  they 
stood,  destroyed  but  not  defeated,  Gabara  and 
Gischala  and  Jotapata  may  fall ;  but,  lad,  it  will  be 
only  after  a  defense  so  desperate  that  the  haughty 
Romans  may  well  hesitate ;  for  if  such  be  the  re- 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  87 

sistance  of  these  little  mountain  towns,  what  will 
not  be  the  task  of  conquering  Jerusalem  garrisoned 
by  the  whole  nation." 

"  That  is  true,"  John  said,  "  and  if  our  death  here 
be  for  the  safety  of  Jerusalem  we  shall  not  have 
died  in  vain.  But  1  doubt  whether  such  men  as 
those  who  have  power  in  Jerusalem  will  agree  to 
any  terms,  however  favorable,  that  may  be  offered. 
It  may  be  that  it  is  God's  will  that  it  should  be  so. 
Two  days  ago,  as  I  journeyed  hither  after  going 
down  to  Sepphoris  with  a  message  from  the  general 
to  some  of  the  principal  inhabitants  there,  I  met  an 
old  man  traveling  with  his  wife  and  family.  I 
asked  him  whether  he  was  on  his  way  hither,  but 
he  said  'No,'  he  was  going  across  Jordan  and 
through  Manasseh  and  over  Mount  Hermon  into 
Trachonitis.  He  said  that  he  was  a  follower  of 
that  Christ  who  was  put  to  death  in  Jerusalem  some 
thirty-five  years  since,  and  whom  many  people  still 
believe  was  the  Messiah.  He  says  that  he  foretold 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Romans,  and 
warned  his  followers  not  to  stay  in  the  walled  cities, 
but  to  fly  to  the  deserts  when  the  time  came." 

"The  Messiah  was  to  save  Israel,"  Joab  said 
scornfully.     "  Christ  could  not  save  even  himself." 

"  I  know  not,"  John  said  simply.  "  I  have  heard 
of  him  from  others,  and  my  father  heard  him  preach 
several  times  near  the  lake.  He  says  that  he  was  a 
man  of  wondrous  power,  and  that  he  preached  a 
new  doctrine.  He  says  that  he  did  not  talk  about 
himself  or  claim  to   be  the  Messiah  ;   but  that  he 


68  FOR  THE  TEMP  LIS. 

simply  told  the  people  to  be  kind  and  good  to  each 
other,  and  to  love  God  and  do  his  will.  My  father 
said  that  he  thought  he  was  a  good  and  holy  man, 
and  full  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  He  did  works  of 
great  power  too,  but  bore  himself  meekly,  like  any 
other  man.  My  father  always  regards  him  as  a 
prophet,  and  said  that  he  grieved  when  he  heard 
that  he  had  been  put  to  death  at  Jerusalem.  If  he 
were  a  prophet,  what  he  said  about  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  should  have  weight  with  us." 

"  All  who  heard  him  agreed  that  he  was  a  good 
man,''  Joab  assented.  "  I  have  never  known  one  of 
those  who  heard  him  say  otherwise,  and  maybe  he 
was  a  prophet.  Certainly  he  called  upon  the 
people  to  repent  and  turn  from  their  sins,  and  had 
they  done  as  he  taught  them  these  evils  might  not 
have  fallen  upon  us,  and  God  would  doubtless  have 
been  ready  to  aid  his  people  as  of  old.  However, 
it  is  too  late  to  think  about  it  now.  We  want  all 
our  thoughts  for  the  matter  we  have  in  hand.  We 
have  done  all  that  we  can  to  put  this  town  into  a 
state  of  defense,  and,  methinks,  if  the  Romans  ever 
penetrate  through  these  mountains  and  forests  they 
will  see  that  they  have  a  task  which  will  tax  all 
their  powers  before  they  take  Jotapata." 

The  position  of  the  town  was  indeed  immensely 
strong.  It  stood  on  the  summit  of  a  lofty  mass  of 
rock,  which,  on  three  sides,  fell  abruptly  down  into 
the  deep  and  almost  impassable  ravines  which  sur- 
rounded it.  On  the  north  side  alone,  where  the 
ridge  sloped  more  gradually  down,  it  could  be  ap- 


FOB  THE  TBMPLR  89 

proached.  The  town  extended  part  of  the  way 
down  this  declivity,  and  at  its  foot  Josephus  had 
built  a  strong  wall.  On  all  sides  were  lofty  moun- 
tains covered  with  thick  forests,  and  the  town  could 
not  be  seen  by  an  enemy  until  they  were  close  at 
hand. 

As  soon  as  Vespasian  had  arrived  at  Ptolemais 
(on  the  site  of  which  city  stands  the  modern  Acre) 
he  was  met  by  a  deputation  from  Sepphoris.  That 
city  had  only  been  prevented  from  declaring  for  the 
Romans  by  the  exertions  of  Josephus,  and  the 
knowledge  that  all  Galilee  would  follow  him  to  at- 
tack it  should  it  revolt.  But  as  soon  as  Yespasian 
arrived  at  Ptolemais,  which  was  scarce  twenty  miles 
away,  they  sent  deputies  with  their  submission  to 
him,  begging  that  a  force  might  be  sent  to  defend 
them  against  any  attack  by  the  Jews. 

Yespasian  received  them  with  courtesy,  and  sent 
Placidus  with  a  thousand  horse  and  six  thousand 
foot  to  the  city.  The  infantry  took  up  their  quar- 
ters in  the  town,  but  the  horsemen  made  raids  over 
the  plains,  burning  the  villages,  slaying  all  the  men 
capable  of  bearing  arms,  and  carrying  off  the  rest 
of  the  population  as  slaves. 

The  day  after  the  conversation  between  Joab  and 
John  a  man  brought  the  news  to  Jotapata  that 
Placidus  was  marching  against  it.  Josephus  at  once 
ordered  the  fighting  men  to  assemble,  and,  march- 
ing out,  placed  them  in  ambuscade  in  the  mountains 
on  the  road  by  which  the  Romans  would  approach. 

As  soon  as  the  latter  had  fairly  entered  the  pass 


90  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

the  Jews  sprang  to  their  feet  and  hurled  their 
javelins  and  shot  their  arrows  among  them.  The 
Romans  in  vain  endeavored  to  reach  their  assail- 
ants, and  numbers  were  wounded  as  they  tried  to 
climb  the  heights,  but  few  were  killed,  for  they 
were  so  completely  covered  by  their  armor  and 
shields  that  the  Jewish  missiles  thrown  from  a  dis- 
tance seldom  inflicted  mortal  wounds.  They  were, 
however,  unable  to  make  their  way  further,  and 
Plaoidus  was  obliged  to  retire  to  Sepphoris,  having 
failed  signally  in  gaining  the  credit  he  had  hoped 
for  from  the  capture  of  the  strongest  of  the  Jewish 
strongholds  in  Upper  Galilee. 

The  Jews,  on  their  part,  were  greatly  inspirited 
by  the  success  of  their  first  ^encounter  with  the 
Romans,  and  returned  rejoicing  to  their  stronghold. 
All  being  ready  at  Jotapata,  Josephus,  with  a  con- 
siderable number  of  the  fighting  men,  proceeded  to 
Garis,  not  far  from  Sepphoris,  where  the  army  had 
assembled.  But  no  sooner  had  the  news  arrived 
that  the  great  army  of  Vespasian  was  in  movement 
than  they  dispersed  in  all  directions,  and  Josephus 
was  left  with  a  mere  handful  of  followers,  with 
whom  he  fled  to  Tiberias. 

Thence  he  wrote  earnest  letters  to  Jerusalem, 
saying  that  unless  a  strong  army  was  fitted  out  and 
put  in  the  field  it  was  useless  to  attempt  to  fight  the 
Romans,  and  that  it  would  be  wiser  to  come  to 
terms  with  them  than  to  maintain  a  useless  resist- 
ance which  would  bring  destruction  upon  the 
nation.     He  remained  a  short  time  only  at  Tiberias, 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  91 

and  thence  hurried  up  with  his  foUovvera  to  Jota- 
pata,  which  he  reached  on  the  14th  of  May. 

Vespasian  marched  first  to  Gadara,  which  was 
undefended,  the  fighting  men  having  all  gone  to 
Jotapata  ;  but  although  no  resistance  was  offered, 
Vespasian  put  all  the  males  to  the  sword,  and 
burned  the  town  and  all  the  villages  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  then  advanced  against  Jotapata. 

For  four  days  the  pioneers  of  the  Roman  army 
bad  labored  incessantly  cutting  a  road  through  the 
forests,  filling  up  ravines,  and  clearing  away 
obstacles,  and  on  the  fifth  day  the  road  was  con- 
structed close  up  to  Jotapata. 

On  the  14th  of  May  Placidus  and  Ebutius  were 
sent  forward  by  Vespasian  with  a  thousand  horse  to 
surround  the  town  and  cut  off  all  possibility  of 
escape.  On  the  following  day  Vespasian  himself, 
with  his  whole  array,  arrived  there.  The  defend- 
ers of  Jotapata  could  scarcely  believe  their  eyes 
when  they  saw  the  long  heavy  column,  with  all  its 
baggage  and  siege  engines,  marching  along  a 
straight  and  level  road,  where  they  had  believed 
that  it  would  be  next  to  impossible  for  even  the  in- 
fantry of  the  enemy  to  make  their  way.  If  this 
marvel  had  been  accomplished  in  five  days,  what 
hope  was  there  that  the  city  would  be  able  to  with- 
stand this  force  which  had  so  readily  triumphed 
over  the  defenses  of  nature  1 


92  FOB  THE  TBMPLEL 


CHAPTER   y. 


THE    SIEGE    OF   JOTAPATA. 


"Well,  Joab,  what  do  you  think  now  ?"  John  said 
as  he  stood  on  the  wall  with  his  older  companion 
watching  the  seemingly  endless  column  of  the 
enemy.  ''  It  seems  to  me  that  we  are  caught  here 
like  rats  in  a  trap,  and  that  we  should  have  done 
better  a  thousand  times  in  maintaining  our  freedom 
of  movement  among  the  mountains.  It  is  one  thing 
to  cut  a  road,  it  would  be  another  to  clear  off  all 
the  forests  from  the  Anti-Libanus,  and  so  long  as 
there  was  a  forest  to  shelter  us  the  Romans  could 
never  have  overtaken  us.  Here  there  is  nothing  to 
do  but  to  die." 

"  That  is  so,  John.  I  own  that  the  counsel  you 
urged  would  have  been  wiser  than  this.  Here  are 
all  the  best  fighting  men  in  Galilee  shut  up  without 
hope  of  succor  or  of  mercy.  Well,  lad,  we  can  at 
least  teach  the  Romans  the  lesson  that  the  Jews 
know  how  to  die,  and  the  capture  of  this  mountain 
town  will  cost  them  as  much  as  they  reckoned 
Avould  suffice  for  the  conquest  of  the  whole  country. 
Jotapata  may  save  Jerusalem  yet." 

John  was  no  coward,  and  was  prepared  to  fight 


SK)B  THE  TEMPLE.  93 

to  the  last ;  but  he  was  young,  and  the  love  of  life 
was  strong  within.  He  thought  of  his  old  father 
and  mother,  who  had  no  children  but  him ;  of  his 
pretty  Mary,  far  away  now,  he  hoped,  on  the  slopes 
of  Mount  Hermon ;  and  of  the  grief  that  his  death 
would  cause  to  them  ;  and  he  resolved  that  although 
he  would  do  his  duty  he  would  strain  every  nerve 
to  preserve  the  life  so  dear  to  them. 

He  had  no  longer  any  duties  to  perform  other 
than  those  common  to  all  able  to  bear  arms.  When 
the  Romans  attacked,  his  place  would  be  near  Jose- 
phus,  or  were  a  sallj'^  ordered  he  would  issue  out 
with  the  general,  but  until  then  his  time  was  his 
own.  There  was  no  mission  to  be  performed  now, 
no  fear  of  plots  against  the  life  of  the  general, 
therefore  he  was  free  to  wander  where  he  liked. 
Save  the  newly  erected  wall  across  the  neck  of 
rock  below  the  town  there  were  no  defenses,  for  it 
was  deemed  impossible  for  man  to  climb  the  cliffs 
that  fell  sheer  down  at  every  other  point.  John 
strolled  quietly  round  the  town,  stopping  now  and 
then  to  look  over  the  low  wall  that  bordered  the 
precipice,  erected  solely  to  prevent  children  from 
falling  over.  The  depth  was  very  great,  and  it 
seemed  to  him  that  there  could  be  no  escape  any- 
where save  on  that  side  which  was  now  blocked  by 
the  wall,  and  which  would,  ere  long,  be  trebly 
blocked  by  the  Romans. 

The  town  was  crowded.  At  ordinary  times  it 
might  contain  near  three  or  four  thousand  inhabit- 
ants ;  now,  over  twenty-five  thousand  had  gathered 


94  J^OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

there.  Of  these  more  than  half  were  men,  but 
many  had  brought  their  wives  and  children  with 
them.  Every  vacant  foot  of  ground  was  taken  up. 
The  inhabitants  shared  their  homes  with  the 
strangers,  but  the  accommodation  was  altogether 
insufficient,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  new-comers 
had  erected  little  tents  and  shelters  of  cloths  or 
blankets. 

In  the  upper  part  of  the  town  there  were  at  pres- 
ent comparatively  few  people  about,  for  the 
greater  part  had  gone  to  the  slope,  whence  they 
watched  with  terror  and  dismay  the  great  Roman 
column  as  it  poured  down  in  an  unbroken  line  hour 
after  hour.  The  news  of  the  destruction  which  had 
fallen  on  Gadara  had  been  brought  in  by  fugitives, 
and  all  knew  that  although  no  resistance  had  been 
offered  there,  every  male  had  been  put  to  death  and 
the  women  taken  captives. 

There  was  naught  then  to  be  gained  by  surrender 
even  had  any  one  dared  to  propose  it.  As  for 
victory  over  such  a  host  as  that  which  was  marching 
to  the  assault,  none  could  hope  for  it.  For  hold  out 
as  they  might,  and  repel  every  assault  on  the  wall, 
there  was  an  enemy  within  which  would  conquer 
them.  For  Jotapata  possessed  no  wells.  The 
water  had  daily  to  be  fetched  by  the  women  from 
the  stream  in  the  ravine,  and  although  stores  of 
grain  had  been  collected  sufficient  to  last  for  many 
months,  the  supply  of  water  stored  up  in  cisterns 
would  scarce  suffice  to  supply  the  multitudes 
gathered  on  the  rock  for  a  fortnight. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  95 

Death,  then,  certain  and  inevitable,  awaited  them  ; 
and  yet  an  occasional  wail  from  some  woman  as 
she  pressed  her  children  to  her  breast  alone  told  of 
the  despair  which  reigned  in  every  heart.  The 
greater  portion  looked  out  silent  and  as  if  stupefied. 
They  had  relied  absolutely  on  the  mountains  and 
forests  to  block  the  progress  of  the  invader.  They 
had  thought  that  at  the  worst  they  would  have  had 
to  deal  with  a  few  companies  of  infantry  only. 
Thus  the  sight  of  the  sixty  thousand  Eoraan  troops, 
swelled  to  nigh  a  hundred  thousand  by  the  camp- 
followers  and  artificers,  complete  with  its  cavalry 
and  machines  of  war,  seemed  like  some  terrible 
nightmare. 

After  making  the  circuit  of  the  rock,  and  wander- 
ing for  some  time  among  the  impromptu  camps  in 
the  streets,  John  returned  to  a  group  of  boys  whom 
he  had  noticed  leaning  against  the  low  wall  with  a 
carelessness  as  to  the  danger  of  a  fall  over  the  prec- 
ipice which  proved  that  they  must  be  natives  of 
the  place. 

"  If  there  be  any  possible  way  of  descending  these 
precipices,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  it  will  be  the  boys 
who  will  know  of  it.  Where  a  goat  could  climb 
these  boys,  born  among  the  mountains,  would  try 
to  follow,  if  only  to  excel  each  other  in  daring  and 
to  risk  breaking  their  necks."  Thus  thinking  he 
walked  up  to  the  group,  who  were  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  years  old. 

"  I  suppose  you  belong  to  the  town  ?"  he  began. 

There  was  a  general  assent  from  the  five  boys. 


96  FOR  THE  TEMPLE 

who  looked  with  considerable  respect  at  John,  who, 
although  but  two  years  the  senior  of  the  eldest 
among  them,  wore  a  man's  garb  and  carried  sword 
and  buckler. 

"  I  am  one  of  the  body-guard  of  the  governor," 
John  went  on,  "  and  I  dare  say  you  can  tell  me  all 
sorts  of  things  about  this  country  that  may  be  use- 
ful for  him  to  know.  Is  it  quite  certain  that  no  one 
could  climb  up  these  rocks  from  below,  and  that 
there  is  no  fear  of  the  Romans  making  a  surprise  in 
that  way  ?" 

The  boys  looked  at  each  other,  but  no  one  volun- 
teered to  give  information. 

"  Come  !"  John  w^ent  on  ;  "I  have  onl}'^  just  left 
off  being  a  boy  myself,  and  I  Was  always  climbing 
into  all  sorts  of  places  when  I  got  a  chance,  and  I 
have  no  doubt  it's  the  same  w^ith  you.  When 
you  have  been  down  below  there  you  have  tried 
how  far  you  can  get  up.  Did  you  ever  get  up  far, 
or  did  you  ever  hear  of  any  one  getting  up  far  ?" 

"  I  expect  I  have  been  up  as  far  as  an}'^  one,"  the 
eldest  of  the  boys  said.  "  I  went  up  after  a  young 
kid  that  had  strayed  away  from  its  mother.  I  got 
up  a  long  way — half-way  up,  I  should  say  ;  but  I 
couldn't  get  any  further.  I  was  barefooted  too. 
I  am  sure  no  one  with  armor  on  could  have  got  up 
anything  like  so  far.  I  don't  believe  he  could  get 
up  fifty  feet." 

"  And  have  any  of  you  ever  tried  to  get  down 
from  above  ?" 

They  shook  their  heads. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  97 

"  Jonas  the  son  of  James  did  once,"  one  of  the 
smaller  boys  said.  "  He  had  a  pet  hawk  he  had 
tamed,  and  it  flew  away  and  perched  a  good  way 
down,  and  he  clambered  down  to  fetch  it.  He  had 
a  rope  tied  round  him,  and  some  of  the  others  held 
it  in  case  he  should  slip.  I  know  he  went  down  a 
good  way,  and  he  got  the  hawk,  and  his  father  beat 
him  for  doing  it,  too." 

"  Is  he  here  now  ?"  John  asked. 

"  Yes,  he  is  here,"  the  boy  said.  "  That's  his 
father's  house,  the  one  close  to  the  edge  of  the  rock. 
I  don't  know  whether  you  will  find  him  there  now. 
He  ain't  indoors  more  than  he  can  help.  His  own 
mother's  dead,  and  his  father's  got  another  wife, 
and  they  don't  get  on  Avell  together." 

"  Well,  I  will  have  a  chat  with  him  one  of  these 
days.  And  you  are  all  quite  sure  that  there  is  no 
possible  path  up  from  below  ?" 

"I  won't  say  there  isn't  any  possible  path,"  the 
eldest  boy  said ;  "  but  I  feel  quite  sure  there  is  not. 
1  have  looked  hundreds  of  times  when  I  have  been 
down  below,  and  I  feel  pretty  sure  that  if  there  had 
been  any  place  where  a  goat  could  have  got  up  I 
should  have  noticed  it.  But  you  see  the  rock  goes 
down  almost  straight  in  most  places.  Anyhow,  I 
have  never  heard  of  any  one  who  ever  got  up,  and 
if  any  one  had  done  it,  it  would  have  been  talked 
about  for  years  and  years." 

"  No  doubt  it  would,"  John  agreed.  "  So  I  shall 
tell  the  governor  that  he  need  not  be  in  the  least 
uneasy  about  an  attack  except  in  front." 


98  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Go  saying  he  nodded  to  the  boys  and  walked 
away  again. 

In  the  evening  the  whole  of  the  Roman  army  had 
arrived,  and  Yespasian  drew  up  his  troops  on  a  hill 
less  than  a  mile  to  the  north  of  the  city,  and  there 
encamped  them. 

The  next  morning  a  triple  line  of  embankments 
was  thrown  up  by  the  Romans  around  the  foot  of 
the  hill,  where  alone  escape  or  issue  was  possible, 
and  this  entirely  cut  off  those  within  the  town  from 
any  possibility  of  flight.  The  Jews  looked  on  at 
these  preparations  as  wild  animals  might  regard  a 
line  of  hunters  surrounding  them.  But  the  dull 
despair  of  the  previous  day  had  now  been  succeeded 
by  a  fierce  rage.  Hope  there  was  none.  They 
must  die,  doubtless  j  but  they  would  die  fighting 
fiercely  till  the  last.  Disdaining  to  be  pent  up 
within  the  walls,  many  of  the  fighting  men  en- 
camped outside,  and  boldly  went  forward  to  meet 
the  enemy. 

Yespasian  called  up  his  slingers  and  archers,  and 
these  poured  their  missiles  upon  the  Jews,  while  he 
himself  with  his  heavy  infantry  began  to  mount  the 
slope  toward  the  part  of  the  wall  which  appeared 
the  weakest.  Josephus  at  once  summoned  the  fight- 
ing men  in  the  town,  and  sallying  at  their  head 
through  the  gate  rushed  down  and  flung  himself 
upon  the  Romans.  Both  sides  fought  bravely  ;  the 
Romans  strong  in  their  discipline,  their  skill  with 
their  weapons,  and  their  defensive  armor;  the  Jews 
fighting  with  the  valor  of  despair,  heightened  by 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  99 

the  thought  of  their  wives  and  children  in  the  town 
above. 

The  Romans  were  pushed  down  the  hill,  and  the 
fight  continued  at  its  foot  until  darkness  came  on, 
when  both  parties  drew  off.  The  number  of  killed 
on  either  side  was  small,  for  the  bucklers  and  hel- 
mets defended  the  vital  points.  The  Romans  had 
thirteen  killed  and  very  many  wounded,  the  Jews 
seventeen  killed  and  six  hundred  wounded. 

John  had  fought  bravely  by  the  side  of  Josephus. 
Joab  and  two  others  of  the  little  band  were  killed  ; 
all  the  others  were  wounded  more  or  less  severely, 
for  Josephus  was  always  in  the  front,  and  his  chosen 
followers  kept  close  to  him.  In  the  heat  of  the  fight 
John  felt  his  spirits  rise  higher  than  they  had  done 
since  the  troubles  had  begun.  He  had  fought  at 
first  so  recklessly  that  Josephus  had  checked  him 
with  the  words : 

"  Steady,  my  brave  lad.  He  fights  best  who  fights 
most  coolly.  The  more  you  guard  yourself  the  more 
you  will  kill." 

More  than  once  when  Josephus,  whose  command- 
ing figure  and  evident  leadership  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  Roman  soldiers,  was  surrounded  and 
cut  off,  John  with  three  or  four  others  made  their 
way  through  to  him  and  brought  him  off.  When  it 
became  dark  both  parties  drew  off  ;  the  Romans 
sullenly,  for  they  felt  it  a  disgrace  to  have  been 
thus  driven  back  b}^  foes  they  despised  ;  the  Jews 
with  shouts  of  triumph,  for  they  had  proved  them- 
selves a  match  for  the  first  soldiers  in  the  world. 


100  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

and  the  dread  with  which  the  glittering  column  had 
inspired  thetn  had  passed  away. 

The  following  day  the  Jews  again  sallied  out  and 
attacked  the  Romans  as  they  advanced,  and  for  five 
days  in  succession  the  combat  raged,  the  Jews  fight- 
ing with  desperate  valor,  the  Romans  with  steady 
resolution.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the-  Jews  had 
been  forced  back  behind  their  wali,  and  the  Romans 
established  themselves  in  front  of  it,  Yespasian, 
seeing  that  the  wall  could  not  be  carried  by  assault 
as  he  had  expected,  called  a  council  of  war,  and  it 
was  determined  to  proceed  by  the  regular  process 
of  a  siege,  and  to  erect  a  bank  against  that  part  of 
the  wall  which  offered  the  greatest  facility  for 
attack. 

Accordingly  the  whole  army,  with  the  exception 
of  the  troops  who  guarded  the  banks  of  circumval- 
lation,  went  into  the  mountains  to  get  materials. 
Stone  and  timber  in  vast  quantities  were  brought 
down,  and  when  these  were  in  readiness  the  work 
commenced.  A  sort  of  penthouse  roofing,  con- 
structed of  \vattles  covered  with  earth,  was  first 
raised  to  protect  the  workers  from  the  missiles  of 
the  enemy  upon  the  wall,  and  here  the  working 
parties  labored  securely,  while  the  rest  of  the  troops 
brought  up  earth,  stone,  and  wood  for  their  use. 

The  Jews  did  their  best  to  interfere  with  the 
work,  hurling  down  huge  stones  upon  the  penthouse, 
sometimes  breaking  down  the  supports  of  the  roof 
and  causing  gaps,  through  which  they  poured  a 
storm  of  arrows  and  javelins  until  the  damage  had 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  101 

been  repaired.  To  protect  his  workmen  Yespasian 
brought  up  his  siege  engines,  of  which  he  had  a  hun- 
dred and  sixty,  and  from  these  vast  quantities  of 
missiles  were  discharged  at  the  Jews  upon  the  walls. 
The  catapults  threw  javelins,  balls  of  fire,  and  blaz- 
ing arrows,  while  the  balistae  hurled  huge  stones, 
which  swept  lanes  through  the  ranks  of  the  defend- 
ers. At  the  same  time  the  light-armed  troops,  the 
Arab  archers,  and  those  of  Agrippa  and  Antiochus 
kept  up  a  rain  of  arrows,  so  that  it  became  impossible 
for  the  Jews  to  remain  on  the  walls. 

But  they  were  not  inactive.  Sallying  out  in  small 
parties,  they  fell  with  fury  upon  the  w^orking  par- 
ties, who,  having  stripped  off  their  heavy  armor, 
were  unable  to  resist  their  sudden  onslaughts. 
Driving  out  and  slaying  all  before  them,  the  Jews 
so  often  applied  fire  to  the  wattles  and  timbers  of 
the  bank  that  Yespasian  was  obliged  to  make  his 
work  continuous  along  the  whole  extent  of  the  wall, 
to  keep  out  the  assailants.  But  in  spite  of  all  the 
efforts  of  the  Jews  the  embankment  rose  steadily, 
until  it  almost  equaled  the  height  of  the  wall,  and 
the  strugge  now  went  on  between  the  combatants 
on  even  terms,  they  being  separated  only  by  the 
short  interval  between  the  wall  and  bank.  Josephus 
found  that  in  such  a  conflict  the  Romans,  with  their 
crowd  of  archers  and  slingers  and  their  formidable 
machines,  had  all  the  advantage,  and  that  it  was 
absolutely  necessary  to  raise  the  walls  still  higher. 

He  called  together  a  number  of  the  principal  men 
and  pointed  out  the  necessity  for  this.     They  agreed 


102  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

with  hira,  but  urged  that  it  was  impossible  for  men 
to  work  exposed  to  such  a  storm  of  missiles.  Jose- 
phus  replied  that  he  had  thought  of  that.  A  num- 
ber of  strong  posts  were  prepared,  and  at  night  these 
were  fixed  securely  standing  on  the  wall.  Along 
the  top  of  these  a  strong  rope  was  stretched,  and  on 
this  were  hung,  touching  each  other,  the  hides  of 
newly  killed  oxen.  These  formed  a  complete  screen, 
hiding  the  workers  from  the  sight  of  those  on  the 
embankment. 

The  hides,  when  struck  with  the  stones  from  the 
balistae,  gave  way  and  deadened  the  force  of  the 
missiles,  while  the  arrows  and  javelins  glanced  off 
from  the  slippery  surface.  Behind  this  shelter  the 
garrison  worked  night  and  day,  raising  the  posts 
and  screens  as  their  work  proceeded,  until  they  had 
heightened  the  wall  no  less  than  thirty-five  feet, 
with  a  number  of  towers  on  its  summit  and  a  strong 
battlement  facing  the  Komans. 

The  besiegers  were  much  discouraged  at  their 
want  of  success,  and  enraged  at  finding  the  efforts 
of  so  large  an  army  completely  baffled  by  a  small 
town  which  they  had  expected  to  carry  at  the  first 
assault,  while  the  Jews  proportionatel}"  rejoiced. 
Becoming  more  and  more  confident  they  continually 
sallied  out  in  small  parties  through  the  gateway  or 
by  ladders  from  the  walls,  attacked  the  Komans 
upon  their  embankment,  or  set  fire  to  it.  And  it 
was  the  desperation  with  which  these  men  fought, 
even  more  th.in  their  success  in  defending  the  wall, 
that  discouraged  the  Komans,  for  the  Jews  were 


Heightening  thb  Walls  of  Jotapata  Under  Shelter  of  the  Ox-Hides,— Page  108, 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  103 

utterly  careless  of  their  lives,  and  were  well  con- 
tent to  die  when  they  saw  that  they  had  achieved 
their  object  of  setting  fire  to  the  Roman  works. 

Yespasian  at  length  determined  to  turn  the  siege 
into  a  blockade,  and  to  starve  out  the  town  which 
he  could  not  capture.  He  accordingly  contented 
himself  by  posting  a  strong  force  to  defend  the 
embankment,  and  withdrew  the  main  body  of  the 
array  to  their  encampment.  He  had  been  informed 
of  the  shortness  of  the  supply  of  water,  and  had 
anticipated  that  in  a  very  short  time  thirst  would 
compel  the  inhabitants  to  yield. 

John  had  taken  his  full  share  in  the  fighting,  and 
had  frequently  earned  the  warm  commendation  of 
Josephus.  His  spirits  had  risen  with  the  conflict, 
but  he  could  not  shut  his  eyes  to  the  fact  that 
sooner  or  later  the  Romans  must  become  masters 
of  the  place.  One  evening,  therefore,  when  he  had 
done  his  share  of  duty  on  the  walls,  he  went  up  to 
the  house  which  had  been  pointed  out  to  him  as 
that  in  which  lived  the  boy  who  had  descended  the 
face  of  the  rocks  for  some  distance. 

At  a  short  distance  from  the  door  a  lad  of  some 
fifteen  years  old,  with  no  covering  but  a  piece  of 
ragged  sack  cloth  round  the  loins,  was  crouched  up 
in  a  corner  seemingly  asleep.  At  the  sound  of 
John's  footsteps  he  opened  his  eyes  in  a  quick 
watchful  way  that  showed  that  he  had  not  been 
really  asleep. 

"  Are  you  Jonas  the  son  of  James  ?"  John  asked. 

"  Yes  I  am,''  the  boy  said,  rising  to  his  fee*^^ 
"  What  do  you  want  with  me  ?" 


1C4  ,  VOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  I  want  to  have  a  talk  with  you,"  John  said. 
"  I  am  one  of  the  governor's  body-guard,  and  I 
think  perhaps  you  may  be  able  to  give  us  some  use- 
ful information." 

"  Well,  come  away  from  here,"  the  boy  said, 
"  else  we  shall  be  having  her,"  and  he  nodded  tow- 
ard the  house,  "  coming  out  with  a  stick." 

"  You  have  rather  a  hard  time  of  it  from  what 
I  hear,"  John  began  when  they  stopped  at  the  wall 
a  short  distance  away  from  the  house. 

''  I  have  that,"  the  boy  said.  "  I  look  like  it, 
don't  I  ?" 

"  You  do,"  John  agreed,  looking  at  the  boy's  thin 
half-starved  figure  ;  "and  yet  there  is  plenty  to  eat 
in  the  town." 

"  There  may  be,"  the  boy  said  ;  "  anyhow  I  don't 
get  my  share.  Father  is  away  fighting  on  the  wall, 
and  so  she's  worse  than  ever.  She  is  always  bea^ 
ing  me,  and  I  dare  not  go  back  now.  I  told  her 
this  morning  the  sooner  the  Romans  came  in  the 
better  I  should  be  pleased.  They  could  only  kill 
me,  and  there  would  be  an  end  of  it ;  but  they 
would  send  her  to  Rome  for  a  slave,  and  then  she 
would  see  how  she  liked  being  cuffed  and  beaten  all 
day." 

"  And  you  are  hungry  now?"  John  asked. 

"  I  am  pretty  near  always  hungry,"  the  boy 
said. 

"  Well,  come  along  with  me  then.  I  have,  got  a 
little  room  to  myself,  and  you  shall  have  as  much 
to  eat  as  you  like." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  105 

The  room  John  occupied  had  formerly  been  a 
loft  over  a  stable  in  the  rear  of  the  house  in  which 
Josephus  now  lodged,  and  it  was  reached  by  a 
ladder  from  the  outside.  He  had  shared  it  at  first 
with  two  of  his  comrades,  but  these  had  both  fallen 
during  the  siege.  After  seeing  the  boy  up  into  it, 
John  w^ent  to  the  house  and  procured  him  an 
abundant  meal,  and  took  it  with  a  small  horn  of 
water  back  to  his  quarters. 

"  Here's  plenty  for  you  to  eat,  Jonas,  but  not 
much  to  drink.  We  are  all  on  short  allowance,  the 
same  as  the  rest  of  the  people,  and  I  am  afraid  that 
won't  last  long." 

There  was  a  twinkle  of  amusement  in  the  boy's 
face,  but  without  a  word  he  set  to  work  at  the  food, 
eating  ravenous!}''  all  that  John  had  brought  him. 
The  latter  was  surprised  to  see  that  he  did  not  touch 
the  water,  for  he  thought  that  if  his  stepmother 
deprived  him  of  food,  of  which  there  was  abun- 
dance, she  would  all  the  more  deprive  him  of  water, 
of  which  the  ration  to  each  person  was  so  scanty. 

"  Now,"  John  said,  "  you  had  better  throw  away 
that  bit  of  sack-cloth  and  take  this  garment.  It 
belonged  to  a  comrade  of  mine  who  has  been 
killed." 

"  There's  too  much  of  it,"  the  boy  said.  "  If  you 
don't  mind  my  tearing  it  in  half,  I  will  take  it." 

"  Do  as  you  like  with  it,"  John  replied ;  and  the 
boy  tore  the  long  strip  of  cotton  in  two  and 
wrapped  half  of  it  round  his  loins. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  "  what  do  you  want  to  ask  me  ?" 


106  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

"Thej  tell  me,  Jonas,  that  you  are  a  first-rate 
climber  and  can  go  anywhere  ?" 

The  boy  nodded. 

"  I  can  get  about,  I  can.  I  have  been  tending 
goats  pretty  well  ever  since  I  could  walk,  and  where 
they  can  go  I  can." 

"  I  want  to  know,  in  the  first  place,  whether  there 
is  any  possible  way  by  which  one  can  get  up  and 
down  from  this  place,  except  by  the  road  through 
the  wall?" 

The  boy  was  silent. 

"  Now  look  here,  Jonas,"  John  went  on,  feeling 
sure  that  the  lad  could  tell  something  if  he  would : 
"  if  you  could  point  out  a  way  down  the  governor 
would  be  very  pleased,  and  as  long  as  the  siege 
lasts  you  can  live  here  with  me  and  have  as  much 
food  as  you  want,  and  not  go  near  that  stepmother 
of  yours  at  all." 

"  And  nobody  will  beat  me  for  telling  you  ?"  the 
boy  asked. 

"Certainly  not,  Jonas." 

"It  wouldn't  take  you  beyond  the  E-oraans. 
They  have  got  guards  all  round." 

"  No,  but  it  might  enable  us  to  get  down  to  the 
water,"  John  urged,  the  sight  of  the  unemptied  horn 
causing  the  thought  to  flash  through  his  mind  that 
the  boy  had  been  in  the  habit  of  going  down  and 
getting  water. 

"Well,  I  will  tell  you,"  the  boy  said.  "I  don't 
like  to  tell,  because  I  don't  think  there's  any  one 
here  knows  it  but  me.     I  found  it  out  and  I  never 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  107 

rfaid  a  word  about  it,  because  I  was  able  to  slip 
away  when  I  liked,  and  no  one  knows  an34hing 
about  it.  But  it  doesn't  make  much  difference  now, 
because  the  Romans  are  going  to  kill  us  all.  So  I 
will  tell  you.  At  the  end  of  the  rock  you  have  to 
climb  down  about  fifty  feet.  It's  very  steep  there, 
and  it's  as  much  as  you  can  do  to  get  down  ;  but 
when  3^ou  have  got  down  that  far,  you  get  to  the 
head  of  a  sort  of  dried-up  water-course,  and  it  ain't 
very  difficult  to  go  down  there,  and  that  way  you 
can  get  right  down  to  the  stream.  It  don't  look 
from  below  as  if  you  could  do  it,  and  the  Romans 
haven't  put  any  guards  on  the  stream  just  there.  I 
know  because  I  go  down  every  morning  as  soon  as 
it  gets  light.  I  never  tried  to  get  through  the 
Roman  sentries,  but  I  expect  one  could  if  one  tried. 
But  I  don't  see  how  you  are  to  bring  water  up  here, 
if  that's  what  you  want.  I  tell  you  it  is  as  much 
as  you  can  do  to  get  up  and  down,  and  you  want 
both  your  hands  and  your  feet;  but  I  could  go 
down  and  bring  up  a  little  water  for  you  in  a  skin 
hanging  round  my  neck,  if  you  like." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  wouldn't  be  much  good,  Jonas," 
John  said ;  "  but  it  might  be  very  useful  to  send 
messages  out  that  way." 

"  Yes,"  the  boy  said ;  "  but  you  see  I  have  always 
intended,  when  the  Romans  took  the  place,  to  make 
off  that  way.  If  other  people  go  it's  pretty  sure  to 
be  found  out  before  long,  and  then  the  Romans 
will  keep  watch ;  but  it  don't  much  matter.  I 
know  another  place  where  you  and  I  could  lie  hid- 


108  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

den  any  time,  if  we  had  got  enough  to  eat  and 
drink.  I  will  show  you,  but  mind  you  must  prom- 
ise not  to  tell  any  one  else.  There's  no  room  for 
more  than  two,  and  I  don't  mean  to  tell  you  unless 
you  promise." 

"  I  will  promise,  Jonas.  I  promise  you  faithfully 
not  to  tell  any  one." 

"  Well,  the  way  down  ain't  far  from  the  other  one. 
I  will  show  it  you  one  of  these  days.  I  went  down 
there  once  to  get  a  hawk  I  had  taken  from  the  nest 
and  tamed.  I  went  down  first  with  a  rope  tied 
round  me,  but  I  found  I  could  have  done  it  without 
that;  but  I  didn't  tell  any  of  the  others,  as  I 
wanted  to  keep  the  place  to  myself.  Tou  climb 
down  about  fifty  feet,  and  then  you  get  on  a  sort  of 
ledge  about  three  feet  wide  and  six  or  seven  feet 
long.  You  can't  see  it  from  above,  because  it's  a 
hollow,  as  if  a  bit  of  rock  had  fallen  out.  Of  course, 
if  you  stood  up  you  might  be  seen  by  some  one 
below,  or  on  the  hill  opposite,  but  it's  so  high  it  is 
not  likely  any  one  would  notice  you.  Anyhow,  if 
you  lie  down  there  no  one  would  see  you.  I  have 
been  down  there  often  and  often  since.  When  she 
gets  too  bad  to  bear  I  go  down  there  and  take  a 
sleep,  or  lie  there  and  laugh  when  I  think  how  she 
is  hunting  about  for  me  to  carry  down  the  pails  to 
the  stream  for  water." 

"  I  will  say  nothing  about  it,  Jonas,  you  may  be 
quite  sure.  That  place  may  save  both  our  lives,  but 
the  other  path  I  will  tell  Josephus  about.  He  may 
find  it  of  great  use." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  109 

Josephus  was  indeed  greatly  pleased  when  he 
heard  that  a  way  existed  by  which  he  could  send 
out  messages.  Two  or  three  active  men  were 
chosen  for  the  work,  but  they  would  not  venture 
to  descend  the  steep  precipice  by  which  Jonas  made 
his  way  down  to  the  top  of  the  water-course,  but 
were  lowered  by  ropes  to  that  point.  Before  start- 
ing they  were  sown  up  in  skins,  so  that  if  a  Roman 
sentry  caught  sight  of  them  making  their  way  down 
the  water-course  on  their  hands  and  feet  he  would 
take  them  for  dogs  or  some  other  animals.  Once  at 
the  bottom  they  lay  still'till  night,  and  then  crawled 
through  the  line  of  sentries. 

In  this  way  Josephus  was  able  to  send  out  dis- 
patches to  his  freinds  out  side  and  toJerusalem,  im- 
ploring them  to  send  an  army  at  once  to  harass  the 
rear  of  the  Romans,  and  to  afford  an  opportunity 
for  the  garrison  of  Jotapata  to  cut  their  way  out. 
Messages  came  back  by  return,  and  for  three  weeks 
communications  were  thus  kept  up,  until  one  of  the 
messengers  slipped  while  descending  the  ravine, 
and  as  he  rolled  down  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
Romans,  who  after  that  placed  a  strong  guard  at 
the  foot  of  the  water-course. 

Until  this  discovery  was  made  Jonas  had  gone 
down  regularly  every  morning  and  drank  his  fill, 
and  had  brought  up  a  small  skin  of  water  to  John, 
who  had  divided  it  among  the  children  whom  he 
saw  most  in  want  of  it,  for  the  pressure  of  thirst 
was  now  heavy.  The  Romans,  from  rising  ground 
at  a  distance,  had  noticed  the  women  going  daily 


no  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

with  jugs  to  the  cistern,  whence  the  water  was 
doled  out,  and  the  besiegers  directed  their  missiles 
to  that  point,  and  many  were  killed  daily  while 
fetching  water. 

A  dull  despair  now  seized  the  Jews.  So  long  as 
they  were  fighting  they  had  had  little  time  to  think 
of  their  situation ;  but  now  that  the  enemy  no 
longer  attacked,  and  there  was  nothing  to  do  but 
to  sit  down  and  suffer,  the  hopelessness  of  their 
position  stared  them  in  the  face ;  but  there  was  no 
thought  of  surrender.  They  knew  too  well  the  fate 
that  awaited  them  at  the  hands  of  the  Eomans. 
They  were  therefore  seized  with  rage  and  indigna- 
tion when  they  heard  that  Josephus  and  some  of 
the  principal  men  were  thinking  of  making  an  en- 
deavor to  escape.  John,  who  had  hitherto  regarded 
his  leader  with  a  passionate  devotion,  although  he 
thought  that  he  had  been  wrong  in  taking  to  the 
fortified  towns  instead  of  fighting  among  the  moun- 
tains, shared  in  the  general  indignation  at  the  pro- 
posed desertion. 

"  It  is  he  who  has  brought  us  all  here,"  he  said  to 
Jonas,  who  had  attached  himself  to  him  with  dog- 
like fidelity,  "  and  now  he  proposes  to  go  away  and 
leave  every  one  here  to  be  massacred !  I  cannot 
believe  it." 

The  news  was,  however,  well  founded  ;  for  when 
the  inhabitants  crowded  down  to  the  house,  the 
women  weeping  and  wailing,  the  men  sullen  and 
fierce,  to  beg  Josephus  to  abandon  his  intention, 
the  governor  attempted  to  argue  that  it  was  for  the 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  HI 

public  good  that  he  should  leave  them.  He  might, 
he  said,  hurry  to  Jerusalem  and  bring  an  army  to 
the  rescue.  The  people,  however,  were  in  no  way 
convinced. 

"  If  3'^ou  go,"  they  said, "  the  Eomans  will  speedily 
capture  the  city.  We  are  ready  to  die  all  together, 
to  share  one  common  fate,  but  do  not  leave  us." 

As  Josephus  saw  that  if  he  did  not  accede  to  the 
prayers  of  the  women  the  men  would  interfere 
by  force  to  prevent  his  carrying  out  his  intentions, 
he  told  them  he  would  remain  with  them,  and  tran- 
quillity was  at  once  restored.  The  men,  however, 
came  again  and  again  to  him  asking  to  be  led  out 
to  attack  the  Eomans. 

"  Let  us  die  fighting,"  was  the  cry ;  "  let  us  die 
among  our  foes,  and  not  with  the  agonies  of  thirst." 

"We  must  make  them  come  up  to  attack  us 
again,"  Josephus  said.  "We  shall  fight  to  far 
greater  advantage  so,  than  if  we  sallied  out  to  attack 
them  in  their  own  intrenchraents,  when  we  should 
be  shot  down  by  their  archers  and  slingers  before 
ever  we  should  reach  them." 

"  But  how  are  we  to  make  them  attack  us  ?  We 
want  nothing  better." 

"  I  will  think  it  over,"  Josephus  said,  "  and  tell 
you  in  the  morning." 

In  the  morning,  to  the  surprise  of  the  men,  they 
were  ordered  to  dip  large  numbers  of  garments  into 
the  precious  supply  of  water,  and  to  hang  them  on 
the  walls. 

Loud  were  the  outcries  of  the  women  as  they  saw 


iia  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

the  scanty  store  of  water  upon  which  their  lives  de- 
pended so  wasted  ;  but  the  orders  were  obeyed,  and 
the  Romans  were  astonished  at  seeing  the  long  line 
of  dripping  garments  on  the  wall. 

The  stratagem  had  its  effect.  Vespasian  thought 
that  the  news  he  had  received  that  the  place  was  ill 
supplied  with  vA^ater  must  be  erroneous,  and  ordered 
the  troops  again  to  take  their  station  on  the  walls 
and  renew  the  attack.  Great  was  the  exultation 
among  the  Jews  when  they  saw  the  movement 
among  the  troops,  and  Josephus,  ordering  the  fight- 
ing men  together,  said  that  now  was  their  oppor- 
tunity. There  was  no  hope  of  safety  in  passive 
resistance,  therefore  they  had  best  sally  out,  and  if 
the}'^  must  die,  leave  at  least  a^glorious  example  to 
posterity. 

The  proposal  was  joyfully  received,  and  he  placed 
himself  at  their  head.  The  gates  were  suddenly 
opened,  and  they  poured  out  to  the  attack.  So 
furious  was  their  onslaught  that  the  Romans  were 
driven  from  the  embankment.  The  Jews  pursued 
them,  crossed  the  lines  of  circumvallation,  and 
attacked  the  Romans  in  their  camp,  tearing  up  the 
hides  and  penthouses  behind  which  the  Romans  de- 
fended themselves,  and  setting  fire  to  the  lines  in. 
many  places. 

The  fight  raged  all  day;  the  Jews  then  retired  to 
the  city,  only  to  sally  out  again  the  following 
morning.  For  three  days  the  attacks  were  con- 
tinued, the  Jews  driving  in  the  Romans  each  day, 
and   retiring   when   Yespasian   brought   up  heavy 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  113 

columns,  who  were  unable,  from  the  weight  of 
their  armor,  to  follow  their  lightly  armed  assailants. 

Yespasian  then  ordered  the  regular  troops  to  re- 
main in  camp,  the  assaults  being  repelled  by  the 
archers  and  slingers.  Finding  that  the  courage  of 
the  Jews  was  unabated,  and  that  his  troops  were 
losing  heavily  in  this  irregular  fighting,  he  deter- 
mined to  renew  the  siege  at  all  hazards  and  bring 
the  matter  to  a  close.  The  heavy-armed  troops 
were  ordered  to  be  in  readiness,  and  to  advance 
against  the  walls  with  the  battering-ram. 

This  was  pushed  forward  by  a  great  number  of 
men,  being  covered  as  it  advanced  with  a  great 
shield  constructed  of  wattles  and  hides.  As  it  was 
brought  forward,  the  archers  and  slingers  covered 
its  advance  by  a  shower  of  missiles  against  the  de- 
fenders of  the  wall,  while  all  the  war  machines 
poured  in  their  terrible  shower.  The  Jews,  unable 
to  show  themselves  above  the  battlements,  or  to 
oppose  the  advance  of  the  terrible  machine, 
crouched  in  shelter  until  the  battering-ram  was 
placed  in  position. 

Then  the  ropes  by  which  it  swung  from  the 
framework  overhead  was  seized  by  a  number  of 
soldiers,  and  the  first  blow  was  delivered  at  the 
wall.  It  quivered  beneath  the  terrible  shock,  and  a 
cry  of  dismay  arose  from  the  defenders.  Again  and 
again  the  heavy  ram  struck  in  the  same  place.  The 
wall  tottered  beneath  the  blows,  and  would  soon 
have  fallen  had  not  Josephus  ordered  a  number  of 
sacks  to  be  filled  with  straw  and  let  down  by  ropes 


114  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE, 

from  the  walls,  so  as  to  deaden  the  blows  of  the 
ram. 

For  a  time  the  Romans  ceased  work,  and  then 
fastening  scythes  to  the  ends  of  long  poles  cut  the 
ropes.  The  Jews  were  unable  to  show  them- 
selves above  the  walls,  or  to  interfere  with  the  men 
at  work.  In  a  few  minutes  the  sacks  were  cut 
down,  and  the  ram  recommenced  its  work  of  de- 
struction. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  J15 


CHAPTER  YI. 


THE   FALL   OF   THE   CITY. 


The  Roman  soldiers,  seeing  the  wall  of  Jotapata 
tremble  beneath  the  blows  of  the  battering-ram, 
whose  iron  head  pounded  to  powder  the  stones 
against  which  it  struck,  redoubled  their  efforts, 
when  suddenly,  from  three  sally-ports  which  they 
had  prepared,  the  Jews  burst  out,  carrying  their 
weapons  in  their  right  hands  and  blazing  torches  in 
their  left.  As  on  previous  occasions,  their  onslaught 
was  irresistible.  They  swept  the  Romans  before 
them,  and  set  fire  to  the  engines,  the  wattles,  and 
the  palisades,  and  even  to  the  woodwork  of  the  em- 
bankment. 

The  timber  had  by  this  time  dried,  and  as  bitumen 
and  pitch  had  been  used  as  cement  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  works,  the  flames  spread  with  great 
rapidity,  and  the  work  of  many  days  was  destroyed 
in  an  hour.  All  the  engines  and  breastworks  of  the 
Fifth  and  Tenth  Legions  were  entirely  consumed. 
Just  as  the  attack  began,  Eleazar,  the  son  of 
Sameas,  a  Galilean,  with  an  immense  stone  from 
the  wall,  struck  the  iron  head  of  the  battering-ram 
and  knocked   it  off.     He  then  leaped  down  from 


lift  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

the  wall,  seized  the  iron  head,  and  carried  it  back 
into  the  city. 

He  was  pierced  by  five  arrows ;  still  he  pressed 
on  and  regained  the  walls,  and  held  up  the  iron 
head  in  the  sight  of  all,  and  then  fell  down  dead. 
Such  was  the  spirit  with  which  the  Jews  were  ani- 
mated ;  and  the  Roman  soldiers,  trained  as  they 
were  to  conflict  among  many  peoples,  were  yet 
astounded  by  the  valor  displayed  by  the  race  that 
they  had  considered  as  un warlike  peasants.  But 
the  Romans  were  not  discouraged  ;  heavy  masses  of 
troops  were  brought  up,  the  Jews  were  driven  with- 
in their  walls,  and  toward  evening  the  ram  was 
again  in  position. 

While  Yespasian  was  directing  the  attack  he 
was  struck  by  a  javelin  in  the  heel.  The  Romans 
ceased  from  the  attack  and  crowded  round  their 
general ;  but  as  soon  as  they  ascertained  that  his 
wound  was  not  serious  they  returned  to  the  attack 
Avith  redoubled  fury.  All  that  night  the  contest 
raged  unceasingly.  The  Roman  engines  swept  the 
walls  with  missiles.  The  towers  came  crashing 
down  under  the  blows  of  the  huge  stones,  while  the 
javelins,  arrows,  and  the  stones  from  the  slings 
created  terrible  havoc  among  the  defenders  of  the 
wall.  But  as  fast  as  these  fell  fresh  combatants 
took  their  places,  and  they  continued  hurling  down 
stones  and  blazing  brands  upon  the  freshly  erected 
wattles  round  the  battering-ram. 

The  Romans  had  the  advantage  in  this  strife  ;  for, 
while  the  fires  on  the  walls,  at  which  the  Jews 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  117 

lighted  their  brands  and  boiled  the  pitch  and  sul- 
phur in  which  these  were  dipped,  enabled  them  to 
aim  accurately,  they  themselves  worked  in  deep 
shadow  at  the  foot  of  the  wall.  The  night  was  a 
terrible  one  ;  the  bolts,  stones,  and  arrows  which 
passed  over  the  wall  spread  ruin  and  death  over  the 
town.  The  din  was  unceasing.  The  thundering 
noise  of  the  great  stones ;  the  dull,  deep  sound  as 
the  ram  struck  the  wall ;  the  fierce  shouts  of  the 
combatants  as  they  fought  hand  to  hand — for  the 
corpses  were  in  places  piled  so  thick  that  the  assail- 
ants could  mount  upon  them  to  the  top  of  the 
walls — the  shrieks  of  the  women  and  the  screams  of 
the  children,  combined  in  one  terrible  and  confused 
noise  which  was  echoed  back  and  multiplied  by  the 
surrounding  mountains. 

Morning  was  just  breaking  when  the  shaken  wall 
gave  way  and  fell  w^ith  a  crash.  Vespasian  called 
off  his  weary  troops  and  allowed  them  a  short  time 
for  refreshment ;  then  he  prepared  to  storm  the 
breach.  He  brought  up  first  a  number  of  his  bravest 
horsemen  dismounted  and  clad  in  complete  armor. 
They  were  provided  with  long  pikes,  and  were  to 
charge  forward  the  instant  the  machines  for  mount- 
ing the  breach  were  fixed.  Behind  these  were  the 
best  of  his  infantry,  while  in  their  rear  were  the 
archers  and  slingers.  Other  parties  with  scaling- 
ladders  were  to  attack  the  uninjured  part  of  the 
wall,  and  to  draw  off  the  attention  of  the  besiegers. 
The  rest  of  the  horse  extended  all  over  the  hills 
round  the  town,  so  that  none  might  make  their 
escape. 


118  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

Josephus  prepared  to  receive  the  attack.  He 
placed  the  old,  infirm,  and  wounded  to  repel  the 
attack  on  the  uninjured  parts  of  the  wall.  He  then, 
choss  the  five  strongest  and  bravest  men,  and  with 
them  took  his  place  to  form  the  front  line  of  the  de- 
fenders of  the  breach.  He  told  them  to  kneel  down 
and  cover  their  heads  with  their  bucklers  until  the 
enemy's  archers  had  emptied  their  quivers,  and  when 
the  Komans  had  fixed  the  machines  for  mounting, 
they  were  to  leap  down  among  the  enemy  and  fight 
to  the  last,  remembering  that  there  was  now  no 
hope  of  safety,  naught  but  to  revenge  the  fate 
which  was  impending  over  them,  their  wives  and 
children. 

As  the  Romans  mounted  to^  the  assault  a  terrible 
cry  broke  out  from  the  women.  They  saw  the  Ro- 
mans still  manning  the  lines  which  cut  off  all  escape, 
and  they  believed  that  the  end  w^as  now  at  hand. 
Josephus,  fearing  that  their  cries  w^ould  dispirit  the 
men,  ordered  them  all  to  be  locked  up  in  their 
houses,  and  then  calmly  awaited  the  assault.  The 
trumpet  of  the  legion  sounded,  and  the  whole  Ro- 
man host  set  up  a  terrible  shout,  while  at  the  same 
moment  the  air  was  darkened  by  the  arrows  of  their 
bowmen.  Kneeling  beneath  their  bucklers  the  Je  ws 
remained  calm  and  immovable,  and  then,  before  the 
Romans  had  time  to  set  foot  upon  the  breach,  with 
a  yell  of  fury  they  rushed  upon  them  and  threw 
themselves  into  the  midst  of  their  assailants.  For 
a  time  the  Romans  could  make  no  way  against  the 
desperate  courage  of  the  Jews,  but  as   fast  as  the 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  Il9 

leading  files  fell  fresh  troops  took  their  places,  while 
the  Jews,  who  were  vastly  reduced  by  their  losses, 
had  no  fresh  men  to  take  the  place  of  those  who 
died.  At  last  the  solid  phalanx  of  the  Romans 
drove  back  the  defenders  and  entered  the  breach. 

But  as  they  did  so,  from  the  walls  above  and  from 
the  breach  in  front  vessels  filled  with  boiling  oil 
were  hurled  down  upon  them.  The  Eoman  ranks 
were  broken,  and  the  men  in  agony  rolled  on  the 
ground  unable  to  escape  the  burning  fluid  which 
penetrated  through  the  joints  of  their  armor.  Those 
who  turned  to  fly  were  pierced  by  the  javelins  of 
the  Jews,  for  the  Romans  carried  no  defensive  armor 
on  their  backs,  which  were  never  supposed  to  be 
turned  toward  an  enemy. 

Fresh  troops  poured  up  the  breach  to  take  the 
place  of  their  agonized  comrades ;  but  the  Jews 
threw  down  upon  the  planks  vessels  filled  with  a 
sort  of  vegetable  slime.  Unable  to  retain  their  foot- 
ing upon  the  slippery  surface  the  Romans  fell  upon 
each  other  in  heaps.  Those  rolling  down  carried 
others  with  them,  and  a  terrible  confusion  ensued, 
the  Jews  never  ceasing  to  pour  their  missiles  upon 
them.  When  evening  came  Yespasian  called  off  his 
men.  He  saw  that  to  overcome  the  desperate  re- 
sistance of  the  defenders  fresh  steps  must  be  taken 
before  the  assault  was  repeated,  and  he,  accordingly, 
gave  orders  that  the  embankment  should  be  raised 
much  higher  than  before,  and  that  upon  it  three 
towers,  each  fifty  feet  high  and  strongly  girded 
with  iron,  should  be  built. 


120  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

This  great  work  was  carried  out  in  spite  of  the 
efforts  of  the  besieged.  In  the  towers  Vespasian 
placed  his  javelin  men,  archers,  and  light  machines, 
and  as  these  now  looked  down  upon  the  wall  they 
were  enabled  to  keep  up  such  a  fire  upon  it  that 
the  Jews  could  no  longer  maintain  their  footing, 
but  contented  themselves  with  lying  behind  it  and 
making  desperate  sallies  whenever  they  saw  any 
parties  of  Romans  approaching  the  breach. 

In  the  mean  time  a  terrible  calamity  had  befallen 
the  neighboring  town  of  Japha.  Emboldened  by 
the  vigorous  defense  of  Jotapata  it  had  closed  its 
gates  to  the  Romans.  Vespasian  sent  Trajan  with 
two  thousand  foot  and  a  thousand  horse  against  it. 
The  city  was  strongly  situated  and  surrounded  by 
a  double  wall.  Instead  of  waiiting  to  be  attacked 
the  people  sallied  out  and  fell  upon  the  Romans. 
They  were,  however,  beaten  back,  and  the  Romans, 
pressing  on  their  heels,  entered  with  them  through 
the  gates  of  the  outside  walls.  The  defenders  of 
the  gates  through  the  inner  walls,  fearing  that  these 
too  would  be  carried  by  the  mob,  closed  them,  and 
all  those  who  had  sallied  out  were  butchered  by  the 
Romans. 

Trajan,  seeing  that  the  garrison  must  now  be 
weak,  sent  to  Vespasian  and  asked  him  to  send  his 
son  to  complete  the  victory.  Titus  soon  arrived 
with  a  thousand  foot  and  five  hundred  horse,  and 
at  once  assaulted  the  inner  walls.  The  defense  was 
feeble.  The  Romans  effected  their  entry,  but  inside 
the  town  a  desperate  conflict  took  place,  the  in- 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  121 

habitants  defending  every  street  with  the  energy  of 
despair,  while  the  women  aided  their  efforts  by 
hurling  down  stones  and  missiles  from  the  roofs. 
The  battle  lasted  six  hours,  when  all  who  could 
bear  arms  were  slain  ;  the  rest  of  the  male  popula- 
tion were  put  to  death,  the  women  taken  as  slaves. 

In  all,  fifteen  thousand  were  killed,  two  thousand 
one  hundred  and  thirty  taken  prisoners.  In  another 
direction  a  heavy  blow  had  also  been  struck  by  the 
Romans.  The  Samaritans  had  not  openly  joined 
the  revolt,  but  had  gathered  in  great  force  on 
Mount  Gerizim.  Cerealis  was  sent  by  Yespasian 
with  three  thousand  infantry  and  six  hundred 
horse  against  them.  He  surrounded  the  foot  of  the 
mountain,  and  abstained  rom  an  assault  until  the 
Samaritans  were  weakened  by  thirst,  many  dying 
from  want  of  water.  Cerealis  then  mounted  the 
hill,  and  sent  to  them  to  throw  down  their  arms. 
On  their  refusal  he  charged  them  from  all  sides, 
and  put  every  soul — in  number  eleven  thousand  six 
hundred — to  the  sword. 

The  situation  of  the  defenders  of  Jotapata  was 
now  pitiable  ;  indeed  scarce  a  man  but  had  received 
wounds,  more  or  less  severe,  in  the  desperate  com- 
bats. All  were  utterly  worn  out  with  fatigue,  for 
they  were  under  arms  day  and  night  in  readiness 
to  repel  the  expected  attack.  Numbers  of  the 
women  and  children  had  died  of  thirst  and  terror. 
Save  the  armed  men  lying  in  groups  near  the  foot 
of  the  wall  in  readiness  to  repel  an  assault,  scarce  a 
soul  was  to  be  seen  in  the  lately  crowded  streets. 


122  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

The  houses  were  now  ample  to  contain  the  vastly 
diminished  number.  Here  the  women  and  children 
crouched  in  utter  prostration.  The  power  of  suffer- 
ing was  almost  gone ;  few  cared  how  soon  the  end 
came. 

The  siege  had  now  continued  for  forty-seven  days, 
and  the  Roman  army,  strong  in  numbers,  in  dis- 
cipline, and  in  arms,  and  commanded  by  one  of  its 
best  generals,  had  yet  failed  to  capture  the  little 
town  which  they  had  expected  to  take  within  a  few 
hours  of  their  appearance  before  it,  and  so  fierce 
was  the  valor  of  the  besieged  that  Yespasian  did 
not  venture  to  order  his  legions  forward  to  renew 
the  assault.  But  now  a  deserter  informed  him  that 
the  garrison  was  greatly  exhausted,  that  the  men 
on  guard  could  not  keep  awake,  and  that  the 
breach  could  be  carried  at  night  by  a  sudden 
assault. 

Vespasian  prepared  for  the  assault,  which  was  to 
take  place  at  daybreak.  A  thick  mist  enveloped 
the  town,  and  the  sleeping  sentries  were  not  aroused 
by  the  silent  steps  of  the  approaching  Romans. 
Titus  was  the  first  to  enter  the  breach,  followed  by 
a  small  number  of  troops.  These  killed  the  sleep- 
ing guards,  and  the  main  body  of  the  Romans  then 
poured  in.  Before  the  Jews  were  conscious  of 
their  danger  the  whole  of  the  Roman  army  was 
upon  them. 

Then  the  slaughter  commenced.  Many  of  the 
Jews  killed  each  other  rather  than  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Romans,  many  threw  themselves  over 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  123 

the  precipices,  numbers  took  refuge  in  the  deep 
caverns  under  the  city.  That  day  all  in  the  streets 
or  houses  were  killed ;  the  next,  the  Romans 
searched  the  caverns  and  underground  passages, 
slaughtering  all  the  men  and  boys,  and  sparing  none 
but  infants  and  women. 

During  the  siege  and  capture  forty  thousand  men 
fell.  Only  twelve  hundred  women  and  children 
were  spared.  So  complete  was  the  surprise,  and  so 
unresistingly  did  the  Jews  submit  to  slaughter,  that 
only  one  Eoman  was  killed.  This  was  Antoninus, 
a  centurion.  He  came  upon  a  Jew  in  a  deep 
cavern,  and  told  him  he  would  spare  his  life  if  he 
would  surrender.  The  Jew  asked  him  to  give  him 
his  hand  as  a  pledge  of  his  faith,  and  to  help  him 
out  of  the  cave.  Antoninus  did  so,  and  the  Jew  at 
once  ran  him  through  with  a  spear. 

John  was  asleep  when  the  Romans  entered.  He 
was  aroused  by  Jonas  rushing  into  the  room.  The 
boy  was  at  all  times  restless,  and  suffered  less  than 
most  of  those  within  the  walls,  for  there  was  an 
abundance  of  grain  up  to  the  end  of  the  siege,  and 
until  the  Romans  had  discovered  the  way  down  to 
the  water  he  had  not  suffered  in  any  way  from 
thirst.  He  was  considered  too  young  to  take  part 
in  the  actual  fighting,  but  had  labored  with  the  rest 
in  repairing  the  defenses,  carrying  food  to  men 
on  the  walls,  and  carrying  away  the  dead  and 
wounded. 

"  Get  up,  John  !"  he  exclaimed.  "  In  the  mist  I 
have  just  run  upon  a  mass  of  Roman  soldiers  ranged 


124  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

in  order.  The  town  is  taken.  Quick,  before  they 
scatter  and  begin  to  slay  !" 

John  caught  up  his  sword  and  ran  out.  Just  as 
he  did  so  a  terrible  shout  was  heard,  followed  by 
shrieks  and  cries.  The  work  of  butchery  had 
begun. 

John's  plans  had  been  laid  for  some  time.  At 
night  Jonas  had  frequently  descended  to  the  ledge, 
taking  with  him  food  and  jars  of  the  water  he 
brought  up  from  below,  and  once  or  twice  John 
had  descended,  Jonas  fastening  a  rope  round  his 
body  and  lowering  it  gradually,  for,  active  as  he 
was,  John  could  not  get  down  without  such  assist- 
ance. Indeed,  to  any  one  who  looked  casually 
over  the  top  the  descent  appeared  absolutely  im- 
possible. 

At  the  top  of  their  speed  the  lads  ran  to  the  spot 
at  which  the  descent  had  to  be  made.  The  rope 
was  hidden  close  at  hand.  John  slipped  the  noose 
at  the  end  over  his  shoulders,  Jonas  twisted  the 
rope  once  round  a  stunted  tree  which  grew  close  by, 
and  allowed  it  to  go  out  gradually.  As  soon  as  the 
strain  upon  it  ceased,  and  he  knew  John  was  upon 
the  ledge,  he  loosened  the  rope  and  dropped  the 
end  over,  and  then  began  himself  to  descend,  his 
bare  feet  and  hands  clinging  to  every  inequality, 
however  slight,  in  the  rock.  He  presently  stood 
by  the  side  of  John.  The  latter  had  coiled  up  the 
rope  and  laid  it  by  him,  and  had  then  thrown  him- 
self down  and  was  sobbing  bitterly.  Jonas  sat 
down  quietly  beside  him  till  he  had  recovered  his 
composure. 


;  FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  125 

"  It  is  no  use  fretting,"  he  said  philosophically. 
"  There's  no  one  you  care  about  particularly  up 
there,  and  I  am  sure  there's  no  one  I  care  about ; 
only  I  should  like  to  have  peeped  in  and  have  seen 
her  face  when  the  Romans  burst  open  the  door.  I 
don't  suppose  she  was  very  sorry,  though,  for  it  w  ill 
be  better  to  be  a  Roman  slave  than  to  be  going 
through  what  they  have  been  for  the  last  month." 

"  It  is  horrible !"  John  said,  "  horrible  !  How- 
ever, Jonas,  let  us  thank  God  for  having  thus  pre- 
served our  lives  when  all  besides  are  in  such  terrible 
danger  of  death." 

For  a  time  the  two  lads  sat  silent.  John  was  the 
first  to  speak. 

"  I  am  thankful,"  he  said,  "  that  owing  to  our 
being  down  the  face  of  the  rock  the  sound  is  carried 
away  above  our  heads  and  we  can  hear  but  little  of 
what  is  going  on  there.  It  seems  a  confusion  of 
sounds,  and  comes  to  us  rather  as  an  echo  from  the 
hills  yonder  than  directly  from  above." 

Sometimes,  indeed,  thrilling  screams  and  shouts 
were  heard,  but  for  the  most  part  the  sounds  were 
so  blended  together  that  they  could  not  be  distin- 
guished one  from  another.  As  soon  as  the  mist 
cleared  off  the  lads  lay  down  as  far  back  from  the 
ledge  as  they  could  get. 

"  "We  must  not  lift  up  a  head  to-day,"  John  said  ; 
"the  guards  below  and  on  the  hills  will  have  their 
eyes  fixed  on  the  rock  on  the  lookout  for  fugitives, 
and  until  night-time  we  must  not  venture  to  sit  up. 
Fortunately  that  outer  edge  of  the  shelf  is  a  good 


126  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

deal  higher  than  it  is  back  here,  and  T  don't  think 
that  even  those  on  the  mountain  opposite  could  see 
us  as  we  lie." 

"  I  should  think  a  good  many  may  escape  like 
us,"  Jonas  said  presently ;  "  there  are  numbers  of 
caverns  and  passages  from  which  they  have  dug  the 
stone  for  the  building  of  the  houses.  A  lot  of  the 
people  are  sure  to  hide  away  there." 

"  1  dare  say  they  will,"  John  agreed  ;  "  but  I  fear 
the  Komans  will  hunt  them  all  out." 

"  How  long  do  you  think  we  shall  have  to  stay 
here,  John  ?" 

"  Till  the  Romans  go,  whether  it  is  one  week  or 
two ;  but  I  do  not  think  they  will  stay  here  many 
days.  The  town  is  so  full  of  dead  that  in  this  hot 
weather  it  will  be  unbearable  before  long.  At 
any  rate  we  shall  be  able  to  pass  a  good  deal  of 
time  in  sleep.  We  have  not  had  much  of  it  lately. 
Till  last  night  I  have  not  been  in  the  house  at  night 
for  over  a  fortnight.  But  I  felt  last  night  as  if  I 
must  have  a  sleep  whatever  came  of  it.  I  suppose 
the  guards  at  the  breach  must  have  felt  the  same, 
or  the  Romans  could  never  have  got  in  without  the 
alarm  being  given." 

For  a  few  minutes  John  la}^  thinking  of  the 
terrible  scenes  that  must  be  passing  on  the  rock 
above,  then  his  drowsiness  overcame  him  and  he 
was  soon  fast  asleep.  It  was  dark  when  he  woke  ; 
as  he  moved,  Jonas  spoke. 

"  Are  you  awake,  John  ?  because  if  you  are,  let 
us  have  something  to  eat.    I  have  been  awake  the 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  127 

last  four  hours,  and  I  have  been  wishing  you  would 
stir." 

"  There  was  no  occasion  to  wait  for  my  waking, 
Jonas ;  there  are  the  grain  and  the  water  close  at 
hand,  and  no  cooking  is  required." 

"  I  wasn't  going  to  eat  till  you  woke,  if  it  had 
been  all  night,"  Jonas  said  ;  "  still  I  am  glad  you 
are  awake ;  they  are  quiet  now  up  above,  and  I 
have  heard  the  Roman  trumpets  sounding.  I 
expect  that  most  of  them  have  marched  back  to 
their  camp." 

The  next  day  passed  like  the  first.  Occasionally 
cries  of  agony  were  heard  ;  sometimes  bodies  were 
hurled  from  the  top  of  the  rock  but  a  short  distance 
from  where  they  were  lying. 

The  next  two  days  passed  more  quietly,  but 
upon  that  following,  a  murmur,  as  of  a  multitude  of 
men  working,  was  heard.  From  time  to  time  there 
were  heavy  crashes  as  masses  of  stones,  hurled  down 
the  precipice,  struck  against  its  face  as  they  fell, 
and  then  bounded  far  out  beyond  the  stream  at  its 
foot.  All  these  sounds  were  echoed  back  b}'  the 
surrounding  hills  until  it  seemed  as  if  a  storm  was 
raging  far  away  in  the  heart  of  the  mountains. 

"  They  are  destroying  the  town,"  John  said,  in 
answer  to  his  companion's  question  as  to  the  cause 
of  the  uproar.  "  That  is  the  best  thing  possible  for 
us.  Had  it  remained  standing  they  might  have  left 
a  garrison  here  to  prevent  our  people  reoccupying 
it.  If  they  destroy  it,  it  is  a  sign  that  they  intend 
to  march  away  altogether." 


128  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

Several  times  Jonas  wished  to  climb  up  at  night 
to  ascertain  what  was  going  on,  but  John  would 
not  hear  of  it. 

"  There  is  nothing  to  find  out,  Jonas.  We  know 
what  they  did  at  Gadara,  where  they  slew  all  the 
males  and  carried  off  all  the  women,  although  no 
resistance  was  offered.  "We  may  be  sure  that  there 
will  be  no  more  mercy  shown  at  Jotapata,  which 
has  affronted  the  Roman  power  by  keeping  their 
great  army  at  bay .  for  nearly  seven  weeks,  and 
whose  capture  has  cost  them  thousands  of  men. 
We  know  what  has  happened — they  have  slain 
every  soul,  save  a  few  young  women  who  were 
worth  money  as  slaves.  Kow  they  are  leveling  the 
town  to  its  foundations.  The  place  that  defied  them 
will  cease  to  exist.  And  yet  they  talk  of  Roman 
magnanimity !  Would  we  had  five  thousand  fight- 
ing men  hidden  here  with  us ;  we  would  climb 
then,  Jonas,  and  fall  upon  them  in  the  night  and 
take  mighty  vengeance  for  the  woes  they  have  in- 
flicted. But,  being  alone,  we  will  remain  here  till 
we  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  last  Roman  has 
left.  Did  one  of  them  catch  sight  of  you  our  fate 
would  be  sealed.  They  have  no  boys  among  them, 
and  the  slightest  glimpse  of  your  figure  would  be 
enough  to  tell  them  that  you  were  a  Jew  who  had 
been  in  hiding,  and  in  their  fear  that  one  man 
should  escape  their  vengeance  they  would  hunt  3'ou 
down  as  a  pack  of  wolves  might  hunt  down  a 
solitary  lamb." 

"  They  could  never  get  down  here,  John." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  129 

"  Kot  by  the  way  you  came ;  but  they  would 
lower  a  cage  full  of  armed  men  from  above,  and 
slay  us  without  pity." 

"  But  if  I  were  found  out,  John,  I  would  not  lead 
them  here.  I  would  throw  myself  over  the  preci- 
pice rather  than  that  risk  should  come  to  you  !" 

"  But  I  don't  want  you  to  throw  yourself  over 
the  precipice,  Jonas,  T  want  to  keep  you  with  me : 
in  the  first  place,  because  we  are  great  friends  now  ; 
in  the  second,  because  if  you  were  killed  I  might  as 
well  throw  myself  over  at  once,  for  1  do  not  think 
I  could  ever  climb  up  this  rock  without  your  assist- 
ance." 

"  It  is  much  easier  going  up  than  coming  down, 
John." 

"  That  may  be,  and  indeed  I  have  no  doubt  it  is 
so,  but  I  would  rather  not  put  the  matter  to  the 
test.  No ;  we  have  provision  and  water  here 
enough  to  last  us  for  ten  days,  and  until  they  are 
consumed  it  were  best  not  to  stir  from  here." 

Four  days  later,  however,  they  heard  the  sound 
of  the  Roman  trumpets,  and  on  raising  their  heads 
carefully  a  few  inches  saw  that  the  guards  on  the 
opposite  hills  had  all  been  withdrawn.  Having  now 
less  fear  of  being  seen,  they  raised  their  heads  still 
further  and  looked  up  the  valley  to  the  great  camp 
on  the  hillside,  where  at  night  they  had  seen  the 
fires  of  the  Romans  blazing  high. 

"  They  are  going !"  Jonas  exclaimed  joyously. 
"  Look  at  the  sun  sparkling  on  the  long  lines  of 
arms  and   armor.     Not  a  sound   is   to  be    heard 


130  VOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

above — the  work  is  done.  They  are  about  to  march 
away." 

"  Do  not  let  us  expose  ourselves  further,"  John 
ssaid  ;  "  it  may  be  that  they  have  left  a  few  watch- 
ers to  see  if  any  who  have  eluded  their  search  may 
show  themselves  believing  that  they  have  gone.  I 
have  no  doubt  they  are  going,  and  by  to-morrow  it 
will  be  safe  for  us  to  move." 

All  day  they  heard  the  sound  of  trumpets,  for  the 
great  host  took  a  long  time  getting  into  motion, 
but  gradually  the  sound  grew  fainter  and  fainter 
as  the  rear-guard  of  the  army  took  the  road  which 
they  had  cut  through  the  mountains  eight  weeks 
before. 

That  night  when  darkness  fell,  and  the  two  lads 
sat  up  on  their  ledge  and  looked  round,  not  a  light 
was  to  be  seen  and  not  a  sound  broke  the  silence  of 
the  night. 

"  At  daybreak  to-morrow,  Jonas,  as  soon  as  it 
becomes  light  enough  for  you  to  see  your  way,  you 
shall  go  up  and  look  round  :  they  may  have  left  a 
guard  behind,  but  I  should  hardly  think  so.  After 
the  wholesale  slaughter  at  Gadara  and  here  the 
hatred  of  the  Romans  will  be  so  intense  that,  confi- 
dent as  they  are  in  their  arms  and  discipline,  they 
would  hardly  venture  to  leave  a  small  body  of  men 
in  the  heart  of  these  mountains." 

As  soon  as  it  was  daylight  Jonas  prepared  to 
climb  up  to  the  plateau  above.  He  took  with  him 
the  rope,  arranging  that  if  he  found  that  the  place 
was  absolutely  deserted  he  would  lower  one  end  to 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  131 

John  and  fasten  the  other  to  the  tree  above,  and 
that  he  would  then  aid  John  as  much  as  his  strength 
would  permit  in  making  his  way  up  the  rock. 

John  watched  his  companion  making  his  way  up, 
and  observed  exactly  where  he  placed  his  feet  and 
hands  until  he  was  out  of  sight ;  then  he  waited. 
In  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  end  of  the  rope 
fell  in  front  of  him.  He  fastened  it  securely  under 
his  arms,  and  then,  taking  off  his  sandals,  began  the 
ascent.  It  was  not  so  difficult  as  it  had  looked,  and 
the  steady  strain  which  Jonas  kept  on  the  rope 
from  above  aided  him  and  gave  him  confidence. 
In  three  or  four  minutes  he  gained  the  top  of  the 
rock. 

"  There  is  not  a  soul  to  be  seen,"  Jonas  said ;  "  the 
town  has  gone,  and  the  people,  and  the  Romans. 
All  is  desolation  I" 

The  scene  was  indeed  changed  since  John  had 
last  looked  upon  it.  Not  a  wall  in  the  so  lately 
busy  little  town  had  been  left  standing.  The  whole 
area  was  covered  three  or  four  feet  deep  with  a 
chaos  of  stones,  mortar,  and  beams,  forming  a  great 
grave,  below  which  lay  the  bodies  of  forty  thousand 
of  the  defenders  of  the  place.  The  walls  so  bravely 
defended  had  disappeared,  and  the  embankment 
whose  erection  had  cost  the  Romans  so  much  labor 
and  bloodshed  had  been  destroyed  by  fire.  A  dead 
silence  hung  over  the  place,  and  the  air  was  tainted 
with  a  terrible  odor  of  corruption. 

The  desolation  and  solitude  of  the  scene  over- 
powered John,  and  he  sat  down  on  a  fragment  of 


132  I^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

masonry  and  wept  unrestrainedly  for  some  time. 
He  roused  himself  at  last  as  Jonas  touched  him. 

"  I  shall  go  down  again  and  get  what  grain  there 
is  left,"  the  boy  said.  "  There  is  no  chance  of  find- 
ing anything  to  eat  within  a  day's  march  of  here. 
The  Roman  horse  will  have  destroyed  every  village 
within  a  wide  circuit." 

"  But  I  cannot  let  you  go  down  again,  Jonas ;  the 
danger  is  too  great." 

"  But  I  have  been  up  and  down  lots  of  times," 
Jonas  said. 

"  That  may  be,  Jonas ;  but  you  might  be  dashed 
to  pieces  this  time." 

"  Well,  if  you  like  I  will  fasten  the  rope  round 
me ;  then  if  I  should  slip  I  shall  be  safe." 

John  consented  with  some  reluctance,  but  he  was 
so  nervous  and  shaken  that  he  walked  some  distance 
away,  and  did  not  turn  round  until  he  heard  Jonas' 
footsteps  again  approaching  him. 

"  Now  we  can  start,"  the  boy  said.  "  "We  have 
got  grain  here  enough  for  three  days,  and  to-night 
we  will  crush  it  and  cook  it.  I  have  had  enough  of 
eating  raw  grain  for  a  long  time  to  come." 

The  boy's  cheerfulness  restored  the  tone  of  John's 
nerves,  and  making  their  way  with  some  difficulty 
over  the  chaos  of  stone  and  timber  until  they 
arrived  at  the  pile  of  charred  timber  which  marked 
the  spot  where  the  Roman  embankment  had  stood, 
they  stepped  out  briskly,  descended  the  hill,  crossed 
the  deserted  lines  of  circumvallation,  and  then 
began  to  ascend  the  mountains,  which  had  for  some 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  133 

distance  been  stripped  of  their  timber  for  the 
purposes  of  the  siege.  In  another  hour's  walking 
they  reached  the  forest,  and  pressed  on  until  the 
afternoon.  Not  that  there  was  any  need  for  speed 
now,  but  John  felt  a  longing  to  place  as  wide  a  gap 
as  possible  between  himself  and  the  great  charnel- 
ground  which  alone  marked  the  spot  where  Jota- 
pata  had  stood. 

At  length  Jonas  urged  the  necessity  for  a  halt 
for  rest  and  food.  They  chose  a  spot  at  the  foot  of 
a  great  tree,  and  then  set  to  work  to  collect  a  store 
of  firewood.  John  took  out  the  box  of  tindfer, 
which  in  those  days  every  one  carried  about  with 
him,  and  a  fire  was  soon  lighted.  Jonas  then 
looked  for  two  large  flat  stones,  and  set  to  work  to 
grind  some  grain. 

The  halting-place  had  been  chosen  from  the 
vicinity  of  a  little  spring  which  rose  a  few  yards 
distant.  With  this  the  pounded  grain  was  mois- 
tened, and  after  kneading  it  up  Jonas  rolled  it  in 
balls  and  placed  them  in  the  hot  ashes  of  the  fire. 
In  half  an  hour  they  were  cooked,  and  the  meal 
was  eaten  with  something  like  cheerfulness. 
Another  day's  walking  brought  them  to  a  little 
village  nestled  in  the  forest.  Here  they  were 
kindly  received,  though  the  people  scarce  believed 
them  when  they  said  that  they  were  survivors  of 
the  garrison  of  Jotapata.  The  news  of  the  capture 
of  the  town  and  the  destruction  of  its  defenders 
had  already  spread  through  the  country,  and  John 
now  learned  for  the  first  time  the  fate  which  had 


134  ^OR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

befallen  Japha  and  the  Samaritans  on  Mount 
Gerizira,  events  which  filled  him  with  consterna- 
tion. 

The  folly  of  the  tactics  which  had  been  pursued 
of  cooping  all  the  fighting  men  up  in  the  walled 
cities,  to  be  destroyed  one  after  the  other  by  the 
Romans,  was  more  than  ever  apparent.  He  had 
never  from  the  first  been  very  hopeful  of  the  result 
of  the  struggle,  but  it  seemed  now  as  if  it  could  end 
in  nothing  but  the  total  destruction  of  the  Jewish 
race  of  Palestine.  John  stayed  for  two  days  in  the 
little  mountain  village,  and  then,  with  a  store  of 
provisions  sufficient  to  last  him  for  some  days,  pur- 
sued his  way,  following  the  lines  of  the  Anti-Liba- 
nus  until  that  range  of  hills  joined  the  range  of 
Mount  Hermon  north  of  the  sources  of  the  Jordan. 

He  had  stopped  for  a  day  at  Dan,  high  up 
among  the  hills.  Here  the  people  had  no  fear  of 
Roman  vengeance,  for  the  insurrection  had  not  ex- 
tended so  far  north,  and  the  Roman  garrison  of 
Caesarea  Philippi  overawed  the  plains  near  the 
upper  waters  of  the  Jordan.  Determined,  how- 
ever, to  run  no  unnecessary  risks,  John  and  his 
companion  pursued  their  way  on  the  lower  slopes 
of  the  hills,  until,  after  six  days'  walking,  they 
arrived  at  Neve. 

Here  they  learned  where  the  farm  of  John's 
kinsman  was  situated,  and  made  their  way  thither. 
As  they  came  up  to  the  house  a  woman  came  out, 
gazed  intently  at  John,  and  with  a  scream  of  terror 
ran  back  into  the  house.     It  was  one  of  Martha's 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  135 

maids.  John  stood  irresolute,  fearing  that  his  sud- 
den appearance  might  startle  the  other  inmates, 
when  suddenly  Mary  appeared  at  the  door,  looking 
pale  but  resolute.  She  too  gazed  fixedly  at  John, 
and  her  lips  moved,  but  no  sound  came  from  them. 

"  Don't  you  know  me,  Mary  ?"  John  said. 

The  girl  gave  a  scream  of  joy  and  threw  herself 
into  his  arms.  A  moment  later  Martha,  followed 
by  Miriam  and  the  other  servants,  came  out. 

'•  It  is  no  spirit,  mother,  it  is  John  himself,"  Mary 
exclaimed,  and  the  next  moment  John  was  clasped 
in  his  mother's  arms. 

It  was  not  surprising  that  the  first  who  saw  John 
had  thought  that  he  was  a  spirit.  The  news  had 
already  been  received  that  the  whole  of  the  garri- 
son of  Jotapata  had  been  put  to  tlie  sword,  and 
John's  appearance  was  changed  so  greatly  within 
the  last  three  months  that  he  would  scarce  have 
been  known.  Fatigue,  anxiety,  and  the  loss  of 
blood  from  several  wounds  which  he  had  received 
in  the  course  of  the  siege  had  so  pulled  him  down 
that  he  was  but  a  shadow  of  his  former  self.  His 
clothes  were  in  rags.  He  had  washed  them  at  the 
village  where  he  had  first  stopped,  for  before  that 
they  had  been  stiffened  with  blood,  and  even  now, 
stained  and  ragged  as  they  were,  they  gave  him  the 
appearance  of  a  mendicant.  Jonas  had  held  back 
a  little  while  the  first  joyful  greeting  was  going  on, 
but  John  soon  turned  to  him. 

"  Mother,"  he  said,  "  this  must  be  as  another  son 
to  you,  for,  next  to  the  protection  of  God,  it  i?  tc 


186  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

him  I  owe  ray  life."  Martha  welcomed  the  young 
stranger  affectionately. 

'*  Before  you  tell  us  aught  that  has  befallen  you, 
John,  go  and  change  your  garments  and  wash, 
while  we  prepare  a  meal  for  you.  The  clothes  of 
your  uncle's  son  Silas,  who  is  about  your  age,  will 
fit  you,  and  those  of  his  younger  brother  will  do 
for  your  friend." 

"  Was  the  last  news  of  my  father  good  ?"  John 
asked. 

"  Yes,  the  Lord  be  praised,  he  was  well  when  he 
heard  of  him  a  week  since." 

The  travelers  were  at  once  conducted  to  a  room 
and  supplied  with  water  and  clean  garments.  By 
the  time  they  had  changed  and  returned  to  the 
general  room  John's  uncle  and  cousin  had  been 
fetched  in  from  the  farm,  and  he  received  another 
hearty  welcome. 

It  almost  seemed  to  him,  as  he  sat  down  to  a 
comfortable  meal  with  Mary  and  his  mother  wait- 
ing upon  him,  that  the  events  of  the  past  two 
months  had  been  a  hideous  dream,  and  that  he  had 
never  left  his  comfortable  home  on  the  shore  of  the 
Lake  of  Galilee.  As  to  Jonas,  unaccustomed  to 
kind  treatment  or  to  luxury  of  any  kind,  he  was  too 
confused  to  utter  a  word.  When  the  meal  was 
over  John  was  asked  to  tell  his  news,  and  he 
related  all  the  stirring  incidents  of  the  siege,  and 
the  manner  in  which  he  and  his  companion  had 
effected  his  escape. 

"  We  are,  no  doubt,"  he  concluded,  "  the  sol^ 
male  survivors  of  the  siege." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  I37 

"  N"ot  SO,  ray  son,"  Martha  said.  "  There  is  a  re 
port  that  Josephus  has  survived  the  siege,  and  that 
he  is  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  Komans." 

"  It  may  be  that  the}'^  have  spared  him  to  grace 
Yespasian's  triumph  at  Eome,"  John  said.  "  It  is 
their  custom,  I  believe,  to  carry  the  generals  they 
may  take  in  war  to  Rome  to  be  slain  there." 

It  was  not  until  some  time  afterward  that  John 
learned  the  particulars  of  the  capture  of  Josephus. 
When  he  saw  that  all  was  lost,  Josephus  had  leaped 
down  the  shaft  of  a  dry  well,  from  the  bottom  of 
which  a  long  cavern  led  off,  entirely  concealed 
from  the  sight  of  those  above.  Here  he  found  forty 
of  the  leading  citizens,  who  had  laid  in  a  store  of 
food  suflBcient  to  last  for  many  days.  Josephus,  at 
least,  who  gives  his  account  of  all  these  circum- 
stances, says  that  he  quite  unexpectedly  found  these 
forty  citizens  in  hiding  there;  but  this  isimprobale 
in  the  extreme,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
he  had  long  before  prepared  this  refuge  with  them 
when  he  found  that  the  people  would  not  allow 
them  to  attempt  to  make  their  escape  from  the 
city. 

At  night  Josephus  came  up  from  the  well  and 
tried  to  make  his  escape,  but  finding  the  Romans 
everywhere  vigilant,  he  returned  to  the  place  of 
concealment.  On  the  third  day  a  woman,  who  was 
aware  of  the  hiding-place,  informed  the  Romans  of 
it,  probably  in  return  for  a  promise  of  freedom,  foi 
the  Romans  were  searching  high  and  Ioav  for  Jose 
phus,  who  could   not,   they  were  convinced,  have 


138  FOR  THE  TEMPLE, 

escaped  through  their  lines.  Vespasian  immediately 
sent  two  tribunes,  Paulinus  and  Gallicanus,  to  in- 
duce him  to  surrender  by  proraise  of  his  life. 

Josephus  refused  to  come  out,  and  Yespasian  sent 
another  tribune,  Nicanor,  a  personal  friend  of  Jose- 
phus, to  assure  him  of  his  safety  if  he  would  sur- 
render. In  the  account  Josephus  gives  of  the  trans- 
action he  says  that  at  this  moment  he  suddenly 
remembered  a  dream  in  which  it  was  revealed  to 
him  that  all  these  calamities  should  fall  upon  the 
Jews,  that  he  himself  should  be  saved,  and  that 
Yespasian  should  become  emperor,  and  that  there- 
fore if  he  passed  over  to  the  Romans  he  would  do 
so  not  as  a  renegade,  but  in  obedience  to  the  voice 
of  God. 

It  was  certainly  a  happy  coincidence  that  the 
dream  should  have  occurred  to  him  at  this  moment. 
He  at  once  announced  his  readiness  to  surrender, 
but  his  forty  companions  did  not  see  the  matter  in 
the  same  light.  The  moment  Josephus  left  them 
the  Roman  soldiers  would  throw  combustibles  down 
the  well  and  suffocate  them  if  they  did  not  come 
out  and  submit  to  slaughter. 

They  urged  upon  Josephus  that  he  was  their 
leader ;  that  they  had  all  followed  his  orders  and 
cast  in  their  lot  with  his;  and  that  it  would  be 
treacherous  and  base  in  the  extreme  for  him  now 
to  save  his  life  by  going  over  to  the  Romans,  when 
all  the  inferior  people  had  slain  themselves  or  had 
submitted  to  slaughter  rather  than  beg  their  lives 
of  the  Romans.    Josephus  argued   with  them   at 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE,  139 

length,  but  they  were  not  convinced,  and  drawing 
their  swords,  threatened  to  kill  him  if  he  tried  to 
leave  them.  They  would  all  die  together,  they 
said.  Josephus  then  proposed  that,  in  order  to 
avoid  the  sin  of  suicide,  they  should  draw  lots 
which  should  kill  each  other.  To  this  they 
assented ;  and  they  continued  to  draw  lots  as  to 
which  should  slay  the  other  until  only  Josephus 
and  one  other  remained  alive. 

This  is  the  story  that  Josephus  tells.  He  was,  of 
course,  endeavoring  to  put  his  own  case  in  the  best 
light,  and  to  endeavor  to  prove  that  he  was  not,  as 
the  Jews  universally  regarded  him,  a  traitor  to  his 
country.  It  need  hardly  be  said  that  the  story  is 
improbable  in  the  extreme,  and  that  had  any  one  of 
the  forty  men  survived  and  written  the  history  he 
would  probably  have  told  a  very  different  tale.  The 
conduct  of  Josephus  from  the  first  outbreak  of  the 
trouble  showed  that  he  was  entirely  adverse  to  the 
rising  against  the  Romans.  He  himself,  having 
been  to  Rome,  had  seen  her  power  and  might,  and 
had  been  received  with  great  favor  by  Poppaea,  the 
wife  of  I^ero,  and  had  made  many  friends  there. 

He  had,  therefore,  at  the  outset  opposed  as  far  as 
he  was  able,  without  going  so  far  as  to  throw  sus- 
picion on  his  patriotism,  the  rebellion  against  the 
Romans.  During  the  events  in  Galilee  he  had 
shown  himself  anxious  to  keep  in  favor  with  the 
Romans.  He  had  rebuked  those  who  had  attacked 
the  soldiers  traveling  as  an  escort  with  a  large 
amount  of  treasure  belonging  to  KingAgrippa,  and 


140  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

would  have  sent  back  the  spoils  taken  had  not  the 
people  risen  against  it.  He  affected  great  indig- 
nation at  the  plunder  of  Agrippa's  palace  at  Tibe- 
rias, and,  gathering  all  he  could  of  the  spoils,  had 
handed  them  over  to  the  care  of  the  chief  of 
Agrippa's  friends  there. 

He  had  protected  the  two  officers  of  Agrippa 
whom  the  Jews  would  have  killed,  had  released  and 
sent  them  back  to  the  king;  and  when  John  of 
Gischala  wished  to  carry  off  large  quantities  of 
grain  stored  by  the  Romans  in  Upper  Galilee, 
Josephus  refused  to  allow  him  to  do  so,  saying  that 
it  should  be  kept  for  its  owners.  It  is  almost 
certain  that  Josephus  must  in  some  way  have 
entered  into  communication  with  the  Romans  ;  for 
how  otherwise  could  he,  with  the  principal  in- 
habitants, have  proposed  to  make  their  escape  when 
every  avenue  was  closed  ?  Josephus  was  a  man  of 
great  talent  and  energy,  full  of  resources,  and  of 
great  personal  braver}'^ — at  least  if  his  own  account 
of  his  conduct  during  the  siege  is  to  be  believed. 
But  no  one  can  read  his  labored  excuses  for  his  own 
conduct  without  feeling  sure  that  he  had  all  along 
been  in  correspondence  with  the  Romans,  and  that 
he  had  beforehand  been  assured  that  his  life  should 
be  spared. 

He  had  from  the  first  despaired  of  successful 
resistance  to  the  Romans ;  and  his  conduct  in  throw- 
ing himself,  at  the  last  moment,  into  a  town  about 
to  be  besieged,  and,  as  he  must  have  known,  cap- 
tured— for  the  want  of  water  alone  rendered  its  fall 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  141 

a  mere  question  of  time — when  his  presence  and 
leadership  were  so  urgently  required  among  the 
people  to  whose  command  he  had  been  appointed, 
seems  to  prove  that  he  wished  to  fall  into  their 
hands.  It  would  not  be  just  to  brand  Josephus  as  a 
traitor.  He  had  done  his  best  to  induce  the 
Galileans  to  form  themselves  into  an  army  and  to 
defend  the  province ;  and  it  was  only  when  that 
army  dispersed  at  the  approach  of  the  Romans  that 
he  went  to  Jotapata.  It  was  his  leadership  that 
enabled  that  city  to  continue  its  heroic  defense.  It 
cannot  therefore  be  said  that  Josephus  in  any  way 
betrayed  the  trust  confided  to  him  by  the  council 
at  Jerusalem.  But  the  conclusion  can  hardly  be 
avoided,  that  from  the  first,  foreseeing  that  utter 
ruin  and  destruction  would  fall  upon  the  Jews,  he 
had  set  himself  to  work  to  prepare  a  way  of  pardon 
and  escape  for  himself,  and  that  he  thought  a 
position  of  honor  among  the  Romans  vastly  prefer- 
able to  an  unknown  grave  among  the  mountains  of 
Galilee. 

Upon  being  taken  out  of  the  well  Josephus  was 
taken  to  Yespasian,  and  in  the  presence  only  of  the 
general,  his  son  Titus,  and  two  other  officers,  an- 
nounced that  he  was  endowed  with  prophetic  pow- 
ers, and  that  he  was  commissioned  by  God  to  tell 
Yespasian  that  he  would  become  emperor,  and  that 
he  would  be  succeeded  by  his  son  Titus.  The 
prophecy  was  one  that  required  no  more  penetration 
than  for  any  person  in  the  present  day  to  predict 
that  the  most  rising  man  in  a  great  political  party 


142  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

would  one  day  become  prime  minister.  The  em- 
peror was  hated,  and  it  was  morally  certain  that  his 
fall  would  not  long  be  delayed  ;  and  in  that  case  the 
most  popular  general  in  the  Roman  army  would  al- 
most certainly^  be  chosen  to  succeed  him, 

Yespasian  himself  was  not  greatly  affected  by  the 
prophecy.  But  Josephus  declared  that  he  had  all 
along  predicted  the  success  of  the  Romans,  the  fall 
of  the  town  after  forty-six  days'  siege,  and  his  own 
safety ;  and  as  some  of  the  female  captives  were 
brought  up,  and,  on  Josephus  appealing  to  them 
whether  this  was  not  so,  naturally  replied  in  the 
affirmative,  Josephus  says  that  Vespasian  was  then 
satisfied  of  his  prisoners  divine  mission,  and  thence- 
forth treated  him  with  great  honor. 

It  is  much  more  easy  to  believe  that  an  agree- 
ment already  existed  between  Vespasian  and  Jose- 
phus, and  that  the  latter  only  got  up  this  story  to 
enable  him  to  maintain  that  he  was  not  a  traitor  to 
his  country,  but  acting  in  accordance  with  the  orders 
of  God.  Certain  it  is  that  no  similar  act  of  clem- 
ency was  shown  by  Vespasian  to  any  other  Jew, 
that  no  other  thought  of  pity  or  mercy  entered  his 
mind  during  the  campaign,  that  he  spared  no  man 
who  fell  alive  into  his  hands,  and  that  no  more  ruth- 
less and  wholesale  extermination  than  that  which 
he  inflicted  upon  the  people  of  Palestine  was  ever 
carried  out  by  the  most  barbarous  of  conquerors. 

To  this  day  the  memory  of  Josephus  is  hated 
among  the  Jews. 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  148 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   MASSACRE    ON   THE    LAKE. 

John  remained  for  three  weeks  at  his  uncle's.  A 
messenger  with  the  news  of  his  safe  arrival  there 
had  been  sent  off  to  his  father,  who  came  up  to  see 
him  three  days  later.  The  formal  act  of  betrothal 
between  John  and  his  cousin  took  place.  Simon 
and  Martha  would  have  been  willing  that  the  full 
ceremony  of  marriage  should  take  place,  and  the 
latter  even  urged  this  upon  her  son. 

"  You  are  now  more  than  seventeen,  John,  and 
have  taken  your  place  among  men,  and  may  well 
take  to  yourself  a  wife.  Mary  is  nigh  fifteen,  and 
many  maidens  marry  earlier.  You  love  each  other. 
Why,  then,  should  you  not  be  married  ?  It  would 
cheer  the  old  age  of  your  father  and  myself  to  see 
our  grandchildren  growing  up  around  us." 

"  Had  the  times  been  different,  mother,  I  Avould 
gladly  have  had  it ,  so  ;  but  with  the  land  torn  by 
war,  with  our  brethren  being  slaughtered  every- 
where, with  Jerusalem  and  the  Temple  in  danger, 
it  is  no  time  for  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage. 
Besides,  the  law  says  that  for  a  year  after  marriage  a 
man  shall  not  go  to  the  war  or  journey  upon  business, 


r 

144  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

but  shall  remain  at  home  quiet  with  bis  wife.  I 
could  not  do  that  now.  Did  the  news  come  to- 
morrow that  the  Romans  were  marching  upon  Je- 
rusalem, assuredly  I  should  do  my  duty  and  take  up 
arms  and  go  to  the  defense  of  the  Holy  City  ;  and 
maybe  Mary  would  be  left  a  widow  before  the  days 
of  rejoicing  for  the  marriage  were  over. 

"No,  mother;  the  life  of  no  man  who  can  wield 
a  weapon  is  his  own  at  present.  The  defense  of 
the  Temple  is  the  first  and  greatest  of  duties.  If  I 
fall  there  you  will  adopt  Mary  as  your  child  and 
marry  her  to  some  one  who  will  take  my  place  and 
be  a  son  to  you.  Mary  will  grieve  for  me,  doubt- 
less, for  a  time,  but  it  will  be  the  grief  of  a  sister 
for  a  brother,  not  that  of  a  wife  for  her  husband ; 
and  in  time  she  will  marry  the  man  to  whom  you 
shall  give  her  and  will  be  happy.  Even  for  m3'self 
1  would  rather  that  it  were  so  left.  I  shall  feel 
more  free  from  cares  and  responsibilities;  and 
though,  if  you  and  my  father  lay  your  orders  upon 
me,  I  shall  of  course  obey  them,  I  pray  you  that 
in  this  matter  you  will  suffer  me  to  have  my 
way." 

Martha  talked  the  matter  over  with  her  husband, 
and  they  agreed  that  John's  wishes  should  be 
carried  out,  and  that  the  marriage  should  be  post- 
poned until  the  troubles  were  over.  Neither  of 
them  believed  that  John  would  fall  in  the  struggle. 
They  regarded  his  escape  from  Jotapata  as  well- 
nigh  miraculous,  and  felt  assured  that  God,  having 
specially  protected  him  through  such  great  danger, 
would  continue  to  do  so  to  the  end. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  145 

Contrary  to  expectation,  Yespasian  had  not  fol- 
lowed up  his  success  at  Jotapata  by  a  march  against 
Jerusalem.  His  army  had  suffered  very  heavy 
losses  in  the  siege,  and  the  desperate  valor  which 
the  defenders  of  the  town  had  shown  had  doubtless 
impressed  upon  his  mind  the  formidable  nature  of 
the  task  he  had  undertaken.  If  a  little  mountain 
town  had  cost  him  so  dearly,  what  would  not  be 
the  loss  which  would  be  entailed  by  the  capture  of 
a  city  like  Jerusalem,  with  its  position  of  vast 
natural  strength — its  solid  and  massive  fortifica- 
tions, and  defended  as  it  would  be  by  the  whole 
strength  of  the  Jewish  nation  fighting  with  the  fury 
of  religious  fanaticism  and  despair ! 

His  army,  strong  as  it  was,  would  doubtless  cap- 
ture the  city,  but  at  such  a  cost  that  it  might  be 
crippled  for  further  action,  and  Yespasian  was 
keeping  one  eye  upon  Rome,  and  wished  to  have 
his  army  complete  and  in  perfect  order  in  readiness 
for  anything  that  might  occur  there.  Therefore, 
after  the  fall  of  Jotapata  he  marched  first  to 
Caesarea,  and  after  a  short  halt  there  passed  north 
to  Caesarea  Philippi,  where  the  climate,  cooled  by 
the  breezes  from  the  mountains,  was  pleasant  and 
healthful,  and  here  he  gave  the  army  twenty  days 
to  rest  and  recover  from  their  wounds  and  fatigues. 
He  then  marched  south  again  to  Scythopolis,  or 
Bethsan,  lying  just  within  the  borders  of  Samaria 
and  not  far  from  the  Jordan.  Here  Titus  with  a 
detached  force  joined  him,  and  they  prepared  to 
reduce  the  cities  near  the  lake. 


146  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

Simon  had  by  this  time  returned  home  accom- 
panied by  John  and  Jonas.  Simon  tried  to  per- 
suade his  son  to  remain  with  his  mother,  but  John 
had  entreated  that  he  might  accompany  him. 

"  The  war  may  last  for  a  long  time,  father,  and 
the  land  must  be  tilled,  else  why  should  you  your- 
self return  home  ?  We  are  in  the  province  of  King 
Agrippa,  and  after  what  has  befallen  Jotapata  and 
Japha  it  is  not  likely  that  the  people  of  Hippos  or 
of  other  towns  will  venture  to  show  disaffection — 
therefore  there  is  no  reason  why  the  Romans  should 
carry  fire  and  sword  through  Agrippa's  country 
east  of  Jordan.  It  is  well  that  my  mother  and 
Mary  should  not  return,  for  if  evil  days  should 
come  they  could  not  save  themselves  by  rapid 
flight ;  besides  we  risk  but  death,  and  death  were  a 
thousand  times  better  than  slavery  among  the 
Romans.  If  we  find  that  they  are  approaching  and 
are  wasting  the  land,  we  can  fl}'-.  The  boats  are 
close  by,  and  we  can  take  to  the  lake  and  land 
where  we  will  and  make  our  way  back  here." 

"  And  3^ou  will  not  seek,  John,  when  the  iflomans 
approach,  to  enter  Tiberias  or  Gamala,  or  any  other 
cities  that  may  hold  out  against  the  Romans  ?" 

"  JSTo,  father.  I  have  had  my  share  of  defending 
a  walled  city,  and  save  for  Jerusalem  I  will  fight 
no  more  in  cities.  All  these  places  must  fall  sooner 
or  later  if  the  Romans  sit  down  before  them.  I 
will  not  be  cooped  up  again.  If  any  leader  arises 
and  draws  together  a  band  in  the  mountains  to 
harass  and  attack  the  Romans  I  will  join  him,  for 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  147 

it  has  always  seemed  to  me  that  in  that  way  only 
can  we  fight  successfully  against  them  ;  but  if  not, 
I  will  aid  you  in  the  labors  of  the  farm  until  the 
Romans  march  against  Jerusalem." 

Simon  yielded  to  his  son's  wishes,  for  the  events 
of  the  last  year  had  aged  hira  much  and  he  felt  the 
need  of  assistance  on  the  farm.  The  men  who  had 
worked  for  him  had,  save  Isaac  and  one  or  two  of 
the  older  men,  gone  away  to  Jerusalem  or  to 
Gamala,  or  one  or  other  of  the  fortified  towns. 
The  time  for  the  harvest  was  at  hand  and  there 
would  be  few  to  gather  it  in.  Martha  would  fain 
have  accompanied  them,  but  Simon  would  not  hear 
of  this. 

"  You  are  in  a  safe  refuge  here,  wife,  and  rather 
than  that  you  should  leave  it  I  would  abandon  our 
farm  altogether.  If  you  come,  Mary  and  the 
women  must  come  also,  and  even  for  us  men  the 
danger  would  be  greater  than  were  we  alone." 

Mary  also  tried  her  power  of  persuasion,  but 
Simon  was  not  to  be  moved,  and  the  three  set  off 
together,  for  Jonas  as  a  matter  of  course  accom- 
panied John  wherever  he  went.  The  three  weeks' 
kindness,  rest,  and  good  feeding  had  done  wonders 
for  him.  The  wild,  reckless  expression  which  John 
had  noticed  when  he  had  first  met  him  had  well- 
nigh  disappeared,  his  bones  had  become  better  cov- 
ered and  his  cheeks  filled  out,  and  comfortably 
clothed  as  he  now  was  few  would  have  recognized 
in  him  the  wild  goatherd  of  Jotapata. 


148  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

Simon  was  mounted  on  a  donkey,  the  others 
walked. 

"  It  is  well  that  I  am  off  again,"  Jonas  said  ;  "  an- 
other month  there  and  I  should  have  got  fat  and 
lazy,  and  should  have  almost  forgotten  how  to  run 
and  climb,  and  should  have  grown  like  the  dwellers 
on  the  plains." 

"  There  will  be  plenty  of  work  for  you  on  the 
farm,  Jonas,"  Simon  said  ;  "  you  need  not  be  afraid 
of  growing  fat  and  lazy  there." 

"  I  don't  think  I  am  fond  of  work,"  Jonas  said 
thoughtfully,  "  not  of  steady  work,  but  I  will  work 
hard  now,  Simon  ;  ^'ou  have  all  been  so  good  to  me 
tiiat  I  would  work  till  I  dropped  for  you.  I 
wouldn't  have  worked  before,  >not  if  they  had  beaten 
me  ever  so  much,  because  they  were  always  unkind 
to  me ;  and  why  should  one  work  for  those  who  do 
nothing  for  you  but  beat  and  ill-use  you  ?" 

"  You  should  always  do  your  duty,  Jonas,"  Simon 
said.  ••'  If  others  do  not  do  their  duty  to  you,  so 
much  the  worse  for  them  ;  but  that  is  no  excuse  for 
your  not  doing  your  duty  as  far  as  you  can." 

Jonas,  being  a  little  behind  Simon,  made  a  little 
face  expressive  of  his  disagreement  ^yith  this  opin- 
ion, but  he  said  nothing.  They  followed  the  course 
of  the  jiver  Hieromax  down  to  Capitolias,  where 
they  slept  that  night  in  the  house  of  some  friends 
of  Simon,  and  on  the  following  evening  arrived  at 
the  farm.  John  received  a  hearty  greeting  from 
Isaac  and  the  other  men,  and  several  of  the  fisher- 
men, when  they  heard  of  his  return,  came  in  to  see 
him. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  I49 

For  the  next  fortnight  John  and  Jonas  worked 
from  daylight  till  dark,  and  by  the  end  of  that  time 
the  greater  part  of  the  corn  ^A^as  gathered  in  the 
granary  ;  a  portion  was  stored  away  in  a  deep  pit, 
straw  being  laid  over  it  when  the  hole  was  nearly 
full,  and  earth  being  thrown  in  level  to  the  surface, 
so  that  should  the  Romans  come  and  sack  the  gran- 
ary there  should  still  remain  a  store  which  would 
carry  them  on  until  the  next  harvest.  Then  the 
news  came  from  across  the  lake  that  the  Romans 
were  breaking  up  their  camp  at  Scythopolis  and 
were  moving  toward  Tiberias. 

No  resistance  was  expected  to  be  offered  there. 
The  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  had  all  along 
been  well  affected  to  the  Romans,  and  had  only 
been  compelled  by  a  small  faction  in  the  city  and 
by  the  fear  of  the  country  people  of  Galilee  to  join 
in  the  insurrection.  It  was,  too,  the  richest  city  in 
the  dominions  of  King  Agrippa,  for  although  these 
lay  for  the  most  part  east  of  Jordan  the  towns  of 
Tiberias  and  Tarichea  were  included  in  them. 
Tiberias  was,  in  fact,  his  chief  city. 

Here  he  had  his  richest  palace,  and  the  city, 
which  greatly  benefited  by  being  the  seat  of  his 
government,  was  Roman  rather  than  Jewish  in  its 
hopes  and  feelings.  So  confident  was  Vespasian 
that  no  resistance  would  be  offered,  that  when  he 
arrived  within  half  a  mile  of  the  town  he  sent  for- 
ward an  officer  with  fifty  horse  to  exhort  the  peo- 
ple to  open  their  gates. 

When  he  got  near  the  town  the  officer  dismounted 


150  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

and  went  forward  to  speak,  when  a  party  of  the 
war  faction,  headed  by  Jesus  the  son  of  Shaphat, 
charged  out  upon  hini.  The  officer,  having  had  no 
orders  to  fight  the  Jews,  fled  on  foot  with  five  of 
his  men  who  had  also  dismounted.  Their  assailants 
seized  the  horses  and  carried  them  in  triumph  into 
the  city.  The  senate  of  Tiberias  at  once  issued  out 
from  the  city  and  hurried  to  the  camp  of  Yespasian, 
and  implored  him  not  to  visit  the  crime  of  a  small 
body  of  desperate  men  upon  the  whole  city,  whose 
inhabitants  had  always  been  favorably  disposed  to- 
ward Eome.  Agrippa  added  his  entreaties  to  theirs, 
and  Vespasian,  who  had  just  given  orders  for  the 
troops  to  advance  to  storm  and  sack  the  city,  re- 
called them.  The  insurgents^  under  Jesus  fled  to 
Tarichea,  and  the  gates  being  opened  the  Romans 
entered  Tiberias,  Vespasian  issuing  strict  orders 
against  plundering  and  the  ill-treatment  of  the  in- 
habitants. 

At  Tarichea  were  assembled  not  only  the  insur- 
gents from  Tiberias,  but  fighting  men  from  all  the 
towns  on  the  lake  and  from  the  country  on  the 
east.  The  city  had  been  carefully  fortified  by 
Josephus,  and  as  the  inhabitants  had  a  very  large 
number  of  vessels  in  the  port,  they  relied  upon  these 
for  escape  in  case  the  town  should  be  reduced  to 
extremities.  No  sooner  did  the  Romans  appear  be- 
fore their  walls  and  begin  to  lay  out  their  siege 
works  than  the  Tiberians  and  others  under  the  com- 
mand of  Jesus  sallied  out  and  dispersed  the  work- 
men. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  151 

When  the  Roman  troops  advanced  in  regular 
order  some  of  the  Jews  retired  into  the  city ;  others 
made  for  their  boats,  which  were  ranged  along  on 
the  shore,  and  in  these,  putting  out  a  little  distance, 
they  cast  anchor  and  opened  fire  with  their  missiles 
upon  the  Romans. 

In  the  mean  time  a  large  number  of  Jews  had  just 
arrived  from  the  further  side  of  Jordan.  Vespasian 
sent  Titus  with  six  hundred  chosen  horse  to  dis- 
perse them.  The  number  of  the  Jews  was  so  large 
that  Titus  sent  for  further  succor,  and  was  reen- 
forced  by  Trajan  with  four  hundred  horse,  while 
Antonius  Silo  with  two  thousand  archers  was  sent  by 
Vespasian  to  the  side  of  a  hill  opposite  the  city  to 
open  fire  thence  upon  the  defenders  of  the  walls  and 
thus  prevent  them  from  harassing  the  Roman  horse- 
men as  they  advanced. 

The  Jews  resisted  the  first  charge  of  the  cavalry, 
but  they  could  not  long  withstand  the  long  spears 
and  the  weight  and  impetus  of  the  horses,  and  fled 
in  disorder  toward  the  town.  The  cavalry  pursued 
and  tried  to  cut  them  off  from  it,  but  although  great 
numbers  were  slaughtered,  the  rest  by  pure  weight 
of  numbers  broke  through  and  reached  the  city.  A 
great  dissension  arose  within  the  walls.  The  in- 
habitants of  the  town,  dismayed  by  the  defeat  in- 
flicted by  a  small  number  of  Romans  upon  the  mul- 
titude in  the  field,  were  unwilling  to  draw  upon 
themselves  the  terrible  fate  which  had  befallen  the 
towns  which  had  resisted  the  Romans,  and  therefore 
clamored   for   instant  surrender.      The   strangers, 


152  P'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

great  numbers  of  whom  were  mountaineers  from 
Peraea,  Ammonitis,  and  the  broken  country  of 
Mount  Galaad  and  the  slopes  of  Hermon,  who  knew 
little  of  what  had  been  passing  in  Galilee,  were  for 
resistance,  and  a  fray  arose  in  the  town. 

The  noise  of  the  tumult  reached  Titus,  who  called 
upon  his  men  to  seize  the  moment  while  the  enemy 
were  engaged  in  civil  discord  to  attack.  Then  lead- 
ing his  men  he  dashed  on  horseback  into  the  lake, 
passed  round  the  end  of  the  wall,  and  entered  the 
city.  Consternation  seized  the  besieged  ;  the  inhab- 
itants attempted  no  resistance,  still  hoping  that  their 
peaceful  character  would  save  them  from  ill-treat- 
ment, and  many  allowed  themselves  to  be  slaugh- 
tered unresistingly.  Jesus  and  his  followers,  how- 
ever, fought  gallantly,  striving,  but  in  vain,  to  make 
their  way  down  to  the  ships  in  the  port.  Jesus 
himself  and  many  of  his  men  were  killed.  Titus 
opened  the  gates  and  sent  word  to  his  father  that 
the  city  was  captured,  and  the  Roman  army  at  once 
entered. 

Yespasian  placed  a  number  of  his  troops  in  the 
large  vessels  in  the  port,  and  sent  them  off  to  attack 
those  who  had  first  fled  to  the  boats.  These  were 
for  the  most  part  fishermen  from  the  various  towns 
on  the  lake.  The  cavalry  were  sent  all  round  the 
lake  to  cut  off  and  slay  those  who  sought  to  gain 
the  land.  The  battle,  or  rather  the  slaughter,  went 
on  for  some  time.  The  fishermen  in  their  light 
boats  could  do  nothing  against  the  soldiers  in  the 
larsfe   vessels.     These   slew  them   with   arrows  or 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  I53 

javelins  from  a  distance,  or  ran  them  down,  and 
killed  them  as  they  struggled  in  the  water.  Many 
of  the  boats  were  run  ashore,  but  the  occupants 
were  slain  there  by  the  soldiers  on  the  lookout  for 
them.  Altogether  six  thousand  perished  in  the 
slaughter. 

In  the  mean  time  Vespasian  had  set  up  a  tribunal 
in  Tarichea.  The  inhabitants  of  the  town  were 
separated  from  the  strangers.  Vespasian  himself 
was,  as  Josephus  said,  unwilling  to  shed  more  blood, 
as  he  had  promised  when  he  had  entered  the  city 
to  spare  the  lives  of  all,  but  he  yielded  to  the  argu- 
ments of  those  who  said  that  the  strangers  were 
mountain  robbers,  the  foes  of  every  man. 

Accordingly  they  were  ordered  to  leave  the  city 
by  the  road  to  Tiberias.  As  soon  as  they  had  left 
the  town  the  troops  surrounded  them,  headed  by 
Vespasian  in  person.  Twelve  hundred  of  the  aged 
and  helpless  he  ordered  to  be  slain  at  once  ;  six 
thousand  of  the  most  able-bodied  he  sent  to  Nero, 
to  be  employed  on  the  canal  he  was  digging  across 
the  isthmus  of  Corinth  ;  thirty  thousand  four  hun- 
dred were  sold  as  slaves  ;  and  a  large  number  were 
bestowed  upon  Agrippa,  who  also  sold  them  as 
slaves.  This  act,  after  the  formal  promise  of  par- 
don, disgraces  the  memory  of  Vespasian  even  more 
than  the  wholesale  massacres  of  the  garrisons  of  the 
towns  which  resisted  to  the  last. 

The  news  of  this  act  of  wholesale  vengeance 
spread  such  terror  through  the  land  that  the  whole 
of  the  cities  of  Galilee  at  once  opened  their  gates, 


154  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

and  sent  deputations  to  Yespasian  to  offer  their 
submission  and  ask  for  pardon.  Gamala,  Gischala, 
and  Itabyrium,  a  town  on  Mount  Tabor  which  had 
been  strongly  fortified  by  Josephus,  alone  held 
out.  Itabyrium  lay  some  ten  miles  to  the  west  of 
Tiberias. 

Standing  back  among  the  trees  at  a  short  distance 
from  the  lake,  Simon,  John,  and  the  workers  on  the 
farm  watched  with  horror  the  slaughter  of  the 
fishermen  on  the  lake.  Kone  of  their  neighbors 
were  among  those  who  had  gone  out  to  aid  in  the 
defense  of  Tarichea,  for  Simon  had  gone  among 
them  to  dissuade  them  from  launching  their  boats 
and  joining  the  flotilla  as  it  proceeded  down  the 
lake  in  the  morning.  He  urged  upon  them  that  if 
they  took  part  in  the  affair  the}'^  would  only  bring 
down  vengeance  upon  themselves  and  their  families. 

"  There  is  no  lack  of  men,"  he  said,  "  in  Tiberias 
and  Tarichea.  Such  aid  as  you  can  give  would  be 
useless,  and  whether  the  cities  fall  at  once,  or 
whether  they  resist,  the  vengeance  of  the  Romans 
will  fall  upon  you.  In  a  few  hours  their  horsemen 
can  ride  round  the  shores  of  the  lake  and  cut  off  all 
who  are  absent  from  returning  to  their  homes,  and 
give  the  villages  to  fire  and  sword.  Those  who  can 
point  to  their  boats  drawn  up  at  the  side  of  the  lake 
will  be  able  to  give  proof  to  the  Romans  that  they 
have  not  taken  part  against  them.  So  far  we  have 
escaped  the  horrors  of  war  on  this  side  of  Jordan. 
If  the  strong  cities  of  Galilee  cannot  resist  the 
Roman  arms,  what  hope  should  we  have  on  this 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  I55 

side,  where  the  population  is  comparatively  scanty, 
and  where  there  are  few  strong  places  ?  Do  not  let 
us  provoke  the  Romans,  my  friends.  If  they  go  up 
against  Jerusalem,  let  those  who  will  go  and  die  in. 
defense  of  the  Temple,  but  it  would  be  worse  t^an 
folly  to  provoke  the  wrath  of  the  Romans  by 
thrusting  yourselves  into  the  quarrel  here." 

Warmly  did  the  fishermen  congratulate  them- 
selves when  they  saw  the  combat  proceeding 
on  the  lake,  and  when  a  strong  body  of  Roman 
horse  rode  along  the  shore,  leaving  parties  a^regular 
intervals  to  cut  off  those  who  might  try  an\i  land. 
A  body  of  twenty  were  posted  down  by  the  boats, 
and  two  came  into  the  village  and  demanded  food 
for  the  party.  Simon,  when  he  saw  them  coming, 
ordered  all  the  able-bodied  men  to  retire  and  remain 
in  the  olive  groves  on  the  slopes  at  a  distance  from 
the  lake  until  the  Romans  had  gone,  while  he  and 
Isaac  and  some  other  old  men  went  down  and  met 
the  soldiers. 

"  Are  any  of  the  people  of  this  place  out  there  on 
the  lake  ?"  the  officer  in  command  of  the  twenty 
men  asked  as  Simon  and  his  party,  bringing  bread, 
fruit,  and  wine,  came  down  to  the  water-side. 

"  No,  sir,"  Simon  replied ;  "  we  have  but  eight 
boats  belonging  to  the  village,  and  they  are  all 
there.  We  are  peaceable  people,  who  till  the  soil 
and  fish  the  lake,  and  take  no  part  in  the  doings  of 
the  great  towns.  We  are  subjects  of  King  Agrippa, 
and  have  no  cause  for  discontent  with  him." 

"  A  great  many  other  people  have  no  cause  for 


156  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

discontent,  old  man,"  the  officer  said,  "  but  they 
have,  nevertheless,  risen  in  rebellion.  However,  as 
your  boats  are  here,  and  your  people  seem  to  have 
taken  no  part  in  this  matter,  I  have  naught  to  say 
against  you,  especially  as  your  wine  is  good,  and 
you  have  brought  down  plenty  of  it." 

Simon  and  his  companions  withdrew,  and,  with 
aching  hearts,  watched  from  a  distance  the  massacre 
upon  the  lake.  The  fury,  however,  produced  among 
the  men  in  the  towns  and  villages  on  the  shore  at 
the  sight  of  the  numerous  corpses  washed  ashore 
was  so  great  that  many  of  the  young  men  left  their 
avocations  and  started  for  Gamala,  which,  relying 
upon  the  strength  of  its  position,  which  was  even 
stronger  than  that  of  Jotapata,  was  resolved  to  resist 
to  the  last. 

Several  of  the  young  men  of  the  village,  and 
many  from  the  villages  near,  were  determined  to 
take  this  course,  maddened  by  the  slaughter  of 
many  friends  and  relations.  John  himself  was  as 
furious  as  any,  especially  when  the  news  came  of 
the  violation  of  faith  at  Tarichea,  and  of  the  selling 
of  nigh  forty  thousand  men  into  slavery. 

"  Father,"  he  said  that  evening,  "  I  had  thought 
to  stay  quietly  with  you  until  the  Romans  advanced 
against  Jerusalem,  but  1  find  I  cannot  do  so.  The 
massacre  at  Jotapata  was  bad  enough,  but  the 
slaughter  of  defenseless  men  on  the  lake  is  worse. 
I  pray  you  let  me  go." 

"Would  you  go  into  Gamala  and  die  there, 
John  ?"  Simon  asked.  "  Better  to  die  at  the  Temple 
than  to  throw  away  your  life  here." 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  I57 

"  I  do  not  intend  to  go  into  Garaala,  father,  nor 
to  throw  away  my  life,  though  I  care  little  for  it, 
except  for  the  sake  of  you  and  my  mother  and 
Mary ;  but  I  would  do  something,  and  I  would  save 
the  sons  of  our  neighbors  and  others  from  the  fate 
that  assuredly  waits  them  if  they  enter  Garaala. 
They  know  not,  as  I  do,  how  surely  the  walls  will 
go  down  before  the  Roman  engines  ;  but  even  did 
they  know  it,  so  determined  are  they  to  tight  these 
slayers  of  our  countrymen  that  they  would  still  go. 
What  I  propose  to  do  is  to  carry  out  what  I  have 
always  believed  to  be  the  true  way  of  fighting  the 
Romans.  I  will  collect  a  band,  and  take  to  the 
mountains,  and  harass  them  whenever  we  may  find 
opportunity.  I  know  the  young  men  from  our 
village  will  follow  me  if  I  will  lead  them,  and  they 
will  be  able  to  get  their  friends  along  the  shore  to 
do  the  like.  In  that  way  the  danger  will  not  be  so 
great,  for  in  the  mountains  the  Romans  would  have 
no  chance  of  overtaking  us,  while,  if  we  are  suc- 
cessful, many  will  gather  round  us,  and  we  may  do 
good  service." 

"  I  will  not  stay  you,  John,  if  you  feel  that  the 
Lord  has  called  upon  you  to  go ;  and,  indeed,  you 
may  save,  as  you  say,  the  lives  of  many  of  our 
neighbors,  by  persuading  them  to  take  to  the  hills 
with  you,  instead  of  shutting  themselves  up  in 
Garaala.  Go  down  then  to  the  village  and  talk  to 
them,  and  see  what  they  say  to  your  plan." 

John  had  little  doubt  as  to  his  proposal  being 
accepted  by  the  younger  men  of  the  village.     The 


158  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

fact  that  he  had  been  chosen  as  one  of  the  body- 
guard of  Josephus  had  at  once  given  him  impor- 
tance in  the  eyes  of  his  neighbors,  and  that  he  should 
have  passed  through  the  siege  of  Jotapata,  and  had 
escaped,  had  caused  them  to  regard  him  not  only  as 
a  valiant  fighter,  but  as  one  under  the  special  pro- 
tection of  God.  Since  his  return  scarce  an  evening 
bad  passed  without  parties  coming  from  one  or  other 
of  the  villages  along  the  shore  to  hear  from  his  lips 
the  story  of  the  siege.  As  soon,  then,  as  he  went 
down  to  the  fishing  village,  and  told  the  young  men 
who  had  determined  to  leave  for  Gamala  that  he 
thought  badly  of  such  action,  but  that  he  intended 
to  raise  a  band  and  take  to  the  mountains  and 
harass  the  Romans,  they  eagerly  agreed  to  follow 
him,  and  to  obey  his  orders.  There  were  eight  of 
them,  and  John  at  once  made  them  take  on  oath  of 
obedience  and  fellowship,  swearing  in  all  things  to 
obey  his  orders,  to  be  true  to  each  other  to  death, 
to  be  ready  to  give  their  lives  when  called  upon  for 
the  destruction  of  the  Romans,  and  never,  if  they 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  to  betray  the 
secrets  of  the  band,  whatever  might  be  the  tortures 
to  which  they  were  exposed. 

John  could  have  obtained  more  than  eight  men 
in  the  village,  but  he  would  only  take  quite  young 
men. 

"  I  want  only  men  who  can  undergo  fatigue  and 
watching,  who  can  climb  mountains,  and  run  as  fast 
as  the  Roman  horse  can  gallop  ;  besides,  for  work 
like  this  it  is  necessary  that  there  should  be  one 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  159 

leader,  and  that  he  should  be  promptly  obeyed.  If 
I  take  older  men,  they  will  naturally  wish  to  have 
a  voice  in  the  ordering  of  things.  I  have  seen 
enough  of  military  matters  to  know  that,  for  prompt 
decision  and  swift  execution,  one  head,  and  one 
head  only,  is  necessary.  Besides,  we  may  find  diffi- 
culties in  the  way  of  getting  food,  and  at  first  I 
wish  for  only  a  small  band.  If  success  attends  us, 
we  shall  increase  rapidly.  Twenty  will  be  quite 
enough  to  begin  with." 

As  soon  as  the  eight  young  men,  of  whom  all  but 
two  were  under  twenty  years  old,  had  taken  the 
oath,  they  started  at  once  to  the  villages  round. 

"  Do  each  of  you  gather  in  two,  but  no  more," 
John  said  ;  "  and  let  them  be  those  whom  you  know 
to  be  strong  and  active.  Do  not  bring  more,  and  if 
four  of  you  bring  but  one  so  much  the  better.  If 
you  find  many  more  eager  to  join,  you  can  tell  them 
that  we  will  send  for  them  Avhen  the  times  comes 
to  increase  our  numbers,  and  pray  them  to  abide 
here  and  not  to  go  into  Gamala.  Let  each  bring  his 
arms  and  a  bag  of  meal,  and  meet  me  to-morrow 
evening  at  sundown  on  the  Hieromax  River,  three 
miles  below  Capitolias,  that  will  be  opposite  to 
Abila,  which  lies  on  the  mountain  side.  Let  all 
travel  singly,  for  the  Roman  horse  may  be  about. 
However,  as  we  shall  be  walking  east,  while  Gamala 
lies  to  the  west  of  south,  they  will  not  take  us, 
should  we  come  upon  them,  for  men  going  thither 
to  aid  in  the  defense  of  the  town." 

The  young  men  started  at  once  on  their  missions, 


160  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

full  of  confidence  in  John,  and  feeling  certain  that 
under  his  leadership  they  should  soon  come  to 
blows  with  the  Komans,  being  also  in  their  hearts  well 
satisfied  that  their  warfare  would  be  in  the  open 
country,  and  they  should  not  be  called  upon  to  fight 
pent  up  in  walls  from  which  there  was  no  escape. 
Having  seen  his  followers  ofl',  John  returned  home 
and  told  Simon  the  progress  he  had  made.  The 
old  man  sighed. 

"  I  do  not  seek  to  keep  you,  John,  for  your  duty 
to  your  country  stands  now  in  the  first  rank  of  all, 
and  it  may  be  that  the  Lord  preserved  you  at 
Jotapata  because  he  intends  you  to  do  great  deeds 
for  him  here.  I  do  not  say  spare  yourself  or  avoid 
danger  for  our  sakes ;  I  only  say  do  not  throw  away 
your  life  by  rashness.  Remember  that,  young  as 
you  are,  you  are  a  leader,  and  be  prudent  as  well  as 
brave.  After  Gamala  has  fallen,  as  fall  I  fear  it 
will,  and  the  Romans  have  moved  away  from  these 
parts,  as  they  will  then  do,  for  there  is  no  resistance 
to  them  on  this  side  of  Jordan  save  at  that  town,  1 
shall  bring  your  mother  and  Mary  back  again,  and 
you  will  find  us  waiting  here  to  welcome  you  if  you 
return.  If  not,  my  son,  I  shall  mourn  for  you  as 
Jacob  mourned  for  Joseph,  and  more,  seeing  that 
you  are  the  only  prop  of  my  old  age ;  but  I  shall 
have  the  consolation  of  knowing  that  you  died  for 
your  country." 

"  You  will  find  in  Mary  a  daughter,  father  ;  and 
you  must  find  a  husband  for  her  who  will  take  my 
place.   But  it  may  be  that  if  the  Romans  march  not 


irOR  THE  TEMPLE.  161 

direct  upon  Jerusalem — and  they  say  that  Vespa- 
sian has  arranged  that  two  of  the  legions  shall  win- 
ter on  the  seacoast  at  Caesarea  and  the  third  at 
Scythopolis — it  is  probable  that  he  will  not  move 
against  Jerusalem  till  the  spring.  In  that  case  I 
may  be  often  here  during  the  winter.  For  I  will 
not  go  down  to  Jerusalem  until  the  last  thing,  for 
there  all  is  turmoil  and  disturbance,  and  until  the 
time  comes  when  they  must  lay  aside  their  private 
feuds  and  unite  to  repel  the  invader,  I  will  not  go 
down." 

« 

Father  and  son  talked  until  late  in  the  night.  In 
the  morning  John  made  his  preparations  for  de- 
parture. He  had  told  Jonas  of  his  intentions.  The 
boy  listened  silently,  only  saying,  "  Wherever  you 
go,  John,  I  am  ready  to  go  with  you  ;  it  makes  no 
difference  to  me ;"  and  afterward  went  down  to 
the  lake  side,  where  he  filled  his  pouch  with  smooth 
pebbles,  each  of  which  he  selected  with  great  care ; 
for  when  herding  his  goats  among  the  mountains, 
Jonas  had  been  always  practicing  with  a  sling,  and 
many  a  cony  had  fallen  before  his  unerring  aim. 
All  the  lads  in  the  mountains  were  accustomed  to 
the  use  of  the  sling,  but  none  in  Jotapata  had  ap- 
proached Jonas  in  their  skill  with  this  weapon. 

During  the  siege  he  had  often  astonished  John 
by  the  accuracy  of  his  aim,  and  had  several  times 
compelled  the  Romans  to  cease  working  one  of  their 
machines,  which  specially  harassed  the  defenders  of 
the  wall,  by  striking  down  one  after  another  of 
those  who  directed  it,  his  stones  seldom  failing  to 


162  FOR  TBE  TEMPLE. 

strike  them  full  in  the  face,  the  only  spot  unpro- 
tected by  their  armor. 

In  the  morning  John  prepared  to  start.  He  and 
Jonas  each  carried  a  small  sack,  supported  by  a 
strap  passing  over  the  shoulders,  and  containing 
some  eight  pounds  of  meal  and  a  gourd  of  water. 
Jonas  carried  no  weapon  save  a  long  knife  hidden 
under  his  garment,  and  his  sling  and  pouch  of 
stones.  John  carried  a  sword  and  buckler  and  a 
horn.  Before  they  started  John  knelt  before  his 
father  and  received  his  blessing,  and  Simon,  as  he 
bade  him  adieu,  gave  him  a  small  bag  of  money. 

"  You  will  need  to  buy  things  in  the  mountains, 
lad,  and  I  would  not  that  you  should  be  driven,  like 
the  robber  bands,  to  take  food  by  force.  It  is  true 
that  they  who  go  not  to  the  war  should  support 
those  who  risk  their  lives  for  their  country ;  but 
there  are  many  aged  men  who,  like  myself,  cannot 
fight,  there  are  many  women  whose  husbands  are 
away  in  Gamala  or  Jerusalem,  and  these  may  not 
be  able  to  afford  to  assist  others.  Therefore  it  is 
well  that  you  should  have  means  of  paying  for  what 
you  require,  otherwise  the  curse  of  the  widow  and 
fatherless  may  fall  upon  you.  And  now,  farewell, 
my  son !  May  God  have  yow  in  his  keeping,  and 
send  you  home  safe  to  your  mother  and  me  1" 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  jgs 


CHAPTEK  YIII. 


AMONG   THE   MOUNTAINS. 


Jonas  was  in  high  spirits  as  they  started  from 
the  farm.  He  was  leaving  no  friends  behind,  and 
so  long  as  he  had  John  with  him  he  was  perfectly- 
contented.  He  was  delighted  to  be  on  the  move 
again,  for  although  he  had  worked  steadily  in  get- 
ting in  the  harvest,  regular  labor  was  distasteful  to 
him  ;  and  accustomed  as  he  had  been  to  wander  for 
weeks  free  and  unchecked  with  his  goats  among 
the  mountains,  the  regular  life  and  order  of  the 
farm  were  irksome  to  him.  John,  on  the  other 
hand,  was  silent,  replying  briefly  to  the  boy's  ques- 
tions. He  felt  the  danger  of  the  enterprise  upon 
which  he  had  embarked,  and  his  responsibility  as 
leader,  and  the  thought  of  the  grief  which  his 
father  and  mother  would  feel  did  aught  befall  him, 
weighed  on  his  mind.  Presently,  however,  he 
roused  himself. 

"  Now,  Jonas,  you  must  keep  a  sharp  lookout 
round,  for  if  we  see  any  Koman  soldiers  in  the  dis- 
tance I  must  hide  my  sword  and  buckler  before  they 
discover' us,  and  you  must  stow  away  your  sling  and 
pouch  ;  then  we  will  walk  quietly  on.    If  they  ques- 


164  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

tion  us,  we  are  going  to  stay  with  friends  at  Capito- 
lias,  and  as  there  will  be  nothing  suspicious  about 
us,  they  will  not  interfere  with  us.  After  they  have 
passed  on  we  will  go  back  for  our  arms.  We  are 
not  traveling  in  the  direction  of  Gamala,  and  they 
will  have  no  reason  to  doubt  our  story." 

They  did  not,  however,  meet  any  of  the  parties 
of  Roman  horse  who  were  scouring  the  country, 
carrying  off  grain  and  cattle  for  the  use  of  the  army, 
and  they  arrived  in  the  afternoon  on  the  bank  of 
the  Hieromax.  Upon  the  other  side  of  the  river 
rose  the  steep  slopes  of  Mount  Galaad,  high  up  on 
whose  side  was  perched  the  little  town  of  Abila. 

"  Here  we  can  wait,  Jonas.  "We  are  nearly  oppo- 
site the  town.  The  others  will  doubtless  soon  be 
here." 

It  was  not  long  before  the  band  made  their  ap- 
pearance, coming  along  in  twos  and  threes  as  they 
had  met  on  the  river  bank.  By  sunset  the  last  had 
arrived,  and  John  found  that  each  of  his  first  re- 
cruits had  brought  two  others.  He  looked  with 
satisfaction  at  the  band.  The  greater  part  of  them 
had  been  fishermen,  all  were  strong  and' active,  and 
John  saw  that  his  order  that  young  men  only  should 
be  taken  had  been  obeyed,  for  not  one  of  them  was 
over  the  age  of  twenty-three,  and,  as  he  had  laid  it 
down  as  an  absolute  rule,  all  were  unmarried.  All 
were,  like  himself,  armed  with  sword  and  bjuckler, 
and  several  had  brought  with  them  bags  with  jav- 
elin heads,  to  be  fitted  to  staves  later  on.  ,,i-All  their 
faces  bore  a  look  of  determination,  and  at  the  same 
time  of  gladness. 


/ 


B 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  165 

The  massacre  on  the  lake  had  excited  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  shore  to  fury,  and  even  those  who  had 
hitherto  held  back  from  the  national  cause  were 
now  eager  to  light  against  the  Komans  ;  but  many 
shrank  from  going  to  Garaala,  which  was  indeed 
already  as  full  of  fighting  men  as  it  could  hold,  and 
John's  proposal  to  form  a  band  for  warfare  in  the 
mountains  had  exactly  suited  the  more  adventurous 
spirits. 

All  present  were  known  to  John  personally. 
Many  of  them  were  sons  of  friends  of  Simon,  and 
the  others  he  had  met  at  village  gatherings,  or  when 
fishing  on  the  lake.  There  were  warm  greetings  as 
each  accession  to  the  party  arrived,  and  each  mem- 
ber of  the  band  felt  his  spirits  rise  higher  at  finding 
that  so  many  of  those  he  knew  personally  were  to 
be  his  comrades  in  the  enterprise.  When  the  last 
comer  had  arrived  John  said  : 

"  We  will  now  be  moving  forward.  We  had  best 
get  well  up  the  mountain  before  night  falls  ;  it  mat- 
ters not  much  where  we  camp  to-night ;  to-morrow 
we  can  choose  a  good  spot  for  our  headquarters." 

It  being  now  the  height  of  the  dry  season  the 
river  was  low,  and  they  had  no  difficulty  in  wading 
across.  Then  the}'^  struck  up  the  hill  to  the  right 
of  Abila  until  they  had  fairly  entered  the  forests 
which  clothed  the  lower  slopes  of  the  mountains. 
Then  John  gave  the  word  for  a  halt. 

Dead  wood  was  soon  collected  and  a  fire  made. 
Cakes  of  meal  were  baked  in  the  ashes,  and  after 
these  had  been  eaten  the  party  lay  round  the  fire, 
and  a  few  minutes  later  John  rose  to  his  feet. 


166  '  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

"  You  all  know  the  reason  for  which  we  are 
gathered  together  here.  We  all  long  for  vengeance 
on  the  oppressors  of  our  country,  the  murderers  of 
our  kinsmen  and  friends,  the  men  who  carry  off  our 
women  to  shame  and  slavery  in  Rome.  We  are  all 
ready  to  die  for  our  country  and  our  God ;  but  we 
would  fain  die  doing  as  much  harm  to  the  Eomans 
as  we  can,  fighting  like  freemen  in  the  open,  instead 
of  rats  slaughtered  in  a  cage.  That  is  why,  instead 
of  going  into  Gamala,  we  have  gathered  here. 

"  I  am  the  youngest  among  ^'^ou ;  but  I  have  so 
far  assumed  the  leadership  because,  in  the  first 
place,  1  have  been  much  with  Josephus,  who, 
although  he  ma}'^  now  most  unworthily  have  gone 
over  to  the  Romans  to  save  his  life,  was  yet  a  wise 
governor  and  a  great  leader.  From  him  I  have 
learned  much  of  the  Romans.  In  the  second  place, 
I  have  seen  more  of  their  warfare  than  any  of  you, 
having  passed  through  the  terrible  siege  of  Jota- 
pata. 

"  Lastl}'^,  I  believe  that  God,  having  saved  me 
almost  alone  of  all  the  host  that  defended  the  town, 
has  intended  me  as  an  instrument  for  his  service. 
Therefore  have  I  taken  upon  m3'^self  the  command, 
in  the  first  place,  of  this  band  ;  but,  at  the  same 
time,  if  you  think  that  I  am  too  young,  and  would 
rather  place  another  at  3'^our  head,  I  will  stand 
aside  and  release  from  their  oath  those  who  have 
already  sworn.  I  am  not  self-seeking.  I  crave  not 
the  leadership  over  you,  and  will  obey  whomsoever 
you  rn-iy  choose  for  your  chief.    But  to  whomsoever 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  167 

is  the  leader  prompt  obedience  must  be  given,  for . 
there  must,  even  in  a  band  like  this,  be  order  and 
discipline.  We  work  for  a  common  good,  but  we 
must  yield  to  the  direction  of  one  will  and  one  head. 
Now,  what  say  you?  I  will  walk  away  to  leave 
you  free  to  consult  one  with  another,  and  will  abide 
by  your  decision  whatever  it  be.  Only,  the  de- 
cision once  made  must  be  adhered  to.  There  must 
be  no  after-grumbling,  no  hesitation  or  drawing 
back.  You  must  have  absolute  confidence  and  give 
absolute  obedience  to  him  whom  you  choose.  For 
only  so  can  we  hope  to  succeed  in  our  enterprises." 

John  had  gone  but  a  short  way  among  the  trees 
when  he  was  called  back  again.  All  had  come  pre- 
pared to  follow  him.  His  father  had  always  been 
a  man  of  weight  and  position  among  the  villagers 
on  the  shore,  and  democratic  as  were  the  Jewish 
institutions,  there  was  3'et  a  certain  respect  paid  to 
those  of  position  above  their  fellows.  John's  ex- 
perience, and  especially  his  escape  from  Jotapata, 
seemed  specially  to  mark  him  as  one  destined  to 
play  an  important  part.  And  his  quiet,  resolute 
bearing  now — the  feeling  that  he  knew  what  was  to 
be  done  and  how  to  do  it,  that  he  was,  in  fact,  their 
natural  leader — came  home  to  all,  and  it  was  with 
sincerity  that  they  assured  him  that  they  accepted 
him  as  their  leader. 

"  Very  well,"  John  said  quietly.  "  Then  let  those 
who  have  not  already'  taken  the  oath  stand  up  and 
do  so." 

This  was  done,  and  John  then  said  : 


168  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

*'!N"ow  I  will  tell  you  more  of  my  plans,  although 
these  oi  course  cannot  be  in  any  way  settled  until 
we  see  how  things  turn  out.  It  is  by  watching  for 
opportunities  and  seizing  the  right  moment  only 
that  we  can  hope  for  success.  "We  are  all  ready  to 
give  our  lives  for  our  country,  but  we  do  not  wish 
to  throw  them  away.  We  want  each  of  us  to  do 
as  much  as  possible.  We  want  to  live  so  as  to 
share  in  the  defense  of  the  Temple ;  therefore  we 
have  to  combine  prudence  with  daring. 

"  As  for  an  attack  upon  any  strong  body  of 
Eoman  troops,  it  would  be  impossible  unless  they 
attempt  to  follow  us  among  the  mountains.  One  of 
our  first  duties  will  be  to  learn  the  country  well,  so 
that  we  may  know  where  to  defend  ourselves  should 
they  come  up  after  us ;  where  from  eminences  we 
can  cast  down  rocks  upon  them ;  where  there  are 
crags  which  we  can  climb,  but  up  which  their 
heavy-armed  soldiers  cannot  follow  us.  This  is  our 
first  task,  for  as  yet  they  have  not  commenced  the 
siege  of  Gamala.  When  they  do  so  we  must  draw 
down  near  them  and  hide  ourselves,  mark  the  posi- 
tion of  their  camp,  see  how  their  tents  are  arranged, 
and  where  their  sentries  are  placed. 

"  Then  we  can  begin  work ;  sometimes  falling 
upon  their  guards,  at  other  times  creeping  in  past 
their  sentries,  scattering  through  the  camp,  and  at 
a  given  signal  firing  their  tents  with  the  brands 
from  their  fires,  slaying  those  who  first  rush  out, 
and  then  making  off  again  to  the  hills.  Then,  too, 
they  will  be  sending  great  numbers  of  men  up  the 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  169 

hills  to  cut  timber  and  branches  for  their  embank- 
ments, their  breastworks,  and  the  construction  of 
the  wattles  to  protect  their  machines.  We  shall  be 
in  hiding,  and  when  a  party  of  men  separates  from 
the  rest  we  will  fall  upon  these ;  we  will  harass 
their  workers  from  a  distance,  always  avoiding  a 
regular  combat,  but  hindering  their  work  and  wear- 
ing them  out.  Thus  we  may  do  better  service  to 
the  defenders  of  Gamala  than  if  we  were  within 
the  walls. 

"At  present  we  have  only  swords,  but  we  must 
get  bows  and  arrows.  It  would  not  have  been  safe 
to  have  carried  them  across  the  plains,  but  we  can 
procure  them  at  Abila  or  Jabez  Galaad.  I  fear 
that  we  shall  not  be  able  to  interfere  with  the  pro- 
visioning of  the  army,  for  upon  the  plains  we  shall 
have  no  chance  Tvith  their  cavalry ;  but  here  in 
these  mountains,  stretching  away  over  Peraea  into 
Arabia  and  Moab,  we  can  laugh  at  pursuit  by  the 
Romans ;  and  even  Agrippa's  light-armed  Arabs 
will  have  difficulty  in  following  us,  and  of  them  we 
need  have  little  fear.  At  Jotapata  we  proved  our- 
selves a  match  for  the  Romans,  and  their  light- 
armed  troops  will  not  care  to  venture  against  us 
alone,  as  they  will  not  know  our  numbers,  and  will 
fear  being  led  into  ambushes. 

"  There  is  one  question  which  we  have  to  con- 
sider, and  that  is  food  ;  as  to  flesh,  we  shall  have  it 
in  abundance.  There  will  be  many  flocks  of  goats 
belonging  to  those  in  Gamala  straying  among  the 
mountains  without  an  owner,  therefore  of  goats' 


170  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

milk  and  flesh  we  can  take  abundance ;  but  there 
will  be  a  scarcity  of  grain.  I  have  some  money 
with  me  with  which  we  can  purchase  it  at  Abila 
and  the  villages.  As  for  Jabez  Galaad  it  is  too 
close  to  Gamala,  and  the  Romans  will  probably 
ascend  the  hill  and  destroy  it,  or  place  a  guard 
there.  At  any  rate,  the  money  will  be  sufiicient  to 
purchase  meal  for  us  for  some  time,  much  longer 
probably  than  Gamala  will  be  able  to  hold  out,  and 
when  that  has  fallen  it  will  be  time  to  arrange 
about  the  future.  Only  let  us  take  nothing  without 
payment ;  let  us  not  belike  the  robber  bands  which 
prey  upon  the  people,  until  they  long  for  the 
Romans  as  masters. 

"  Only  we  must  remember  thait  while  we  desire 
now  to  do  the  Romans  as  much  harm  as  possible, 
this  is  but  the  beginning  of  our  work,  and  that  we 
must  save  ourselves  for  the  future.  Gamala  is  but 
one  town,  and  we  shall  have  plenty  of  opportunities 
for  striking  at  the  enemy  in  the  future.  We  have 
put  our  hands  to  the  plow  now,  and  so  long  as  the 
war  lasts  we  will  not  look  back.  It  may  be  that 
our  example  may  lead  others  to  follow  it,  and  in 
that  case  the  Romans'  difficulties  will  thicken  every 
day. 

"  Were  there  scores  of  bands  of  determined  men 
like  us  hanging  around  them,  ready  to  attack  small 
bodies  whenever  they  venture  away  from  their 
camps  to  gather  in  provisions  and  forage,  and  to 
harass  them  at  night  by  constant  alarms,  we  could 
wear  them  out ;    only   we  must  always  avoid  a 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  171 

pitched  battle.  In  irregular  fighting  we  are  as 
good  as  they ;  better,  for  we  can  move  more 
quickly ;  but  when  it  comes  to  fighting  in  order  of 
battle  we  have  no  chance  with  them  whatever. 
Their  cavalry  the  other  day  outside  Tarichea  were 
like  wolves  among  a  flock  of  sheep.  Nothing  but 
disaster  can  come  of  fighting  in  the  plain. 

"  Every  people  should  fight  in  the  way  that  suits 
them  best,  and  an  attempt  to  meet  an  enemy  in 
their  own  way  of  fighting  is  sure  to  lead  to  disaster. 
Let  the  Roman  keep  the  plain  with  his  cavalry  and 
his  heavy  infantry;  let  the  Jew,  light-footed  and 
swift,  keep  to  the  hills.  He  is  as  much  superior 
there  as  is  the  Roman  in  the  plains.  And  now  we 
must  establish  signals.  We  will  get  horns  at  Abila, 
and  I  will  fix  upon  signals.  One  long  note  will 
mean,  gather  to  me  ;  two,  fall  back  gradually ; 
three,  retire  at  once  with  all  speed  to  the  spot 
agreed  upon  before  setting  out  in  the  morning. 

"Two  short  notes  will  mean,  advance  and  attack 
in  the  manner  arranged  ;  one  short  note  oft  repeated 
will  tell  you  the  Romans  are  advancing,  sound  your 
horns  ;  for  it  were  well  that  each  provided  himself 
with  a  cow's  horn,  so  that  the  signals  can  be  re- 
peated. If  we  are  scattered  over  a  hillside  among 
the  trees,  and  the  Romans  hear  horns  sounded  in 
many  quarters,  they  will  think  that  there  must  be 
a  large  body  of  men  assembled.  This  will  make 
them  slow  and  cautious  in  all  their  movements,  will 
force  many  to  stand  prepared  with  their  arras  to 
guard  those  at  work,  and  will  altogether  confuse 


172  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

and  puzzle  them.  And  now  we  will  lie  down  and 
sleep ;  as  soon  as  it  is  dawn  we  will  be  on  foot 
again." 

The  next  two  days  were  spent  in  exploring  that 
part  of  the  mountains,  examining  the  direction  and 
extent  of  each  valley  and  ravine,  seeing  where 
steep  precipices  afforded  an  opportunity  for  rolling 
down  rocks  upon  an  enemy  passing  along  the 
valley  or  trying  to  storm  the  height,  in  searching 
for  pools  in  dried  water-courses,  and  in  deciding 
upon  a  spot  favorable  for  the  camp. 

They  fixed  upon  a  spot  high  up  on  the  mountains, 
two  miles  east  of  Abila,  as  their  headquarters.  It 
was  in  a  pass  between  two  peaks,  and  gave  them 
the  option  of  descending  either  to  the  north  or 
south,  or  of  skirting  along  the  mountains  toward  the 
sources  of  the  Jabbok  River,  and  thenc«  crossing  the 
Hermon  range  beyond  the  limits  of  Peraea.  Jonas 
was  sent  the  first  thing  to  discover  whether  the 
Romans  had  taken  possession  of  Jabez  Galaad,  which 
lay  but  five  miles  from  Gamala,  and  on  the  southern 
side  of  the  range  of  hills  on  whose  western  spur 
Gamala  was  built. 

He  returned  in  a  short  time  saying  that  he  had 
found  the  inhabitants  in  a  state  of  great  alarm,  f<^ 
that  a  Roman  force  could  be  seen  coming  up  the 
road  from  the  plain.  Most  of  the  fighting  men  of 
the  town  were  in  Gamala  ;  the  rest  with  the  young 
women  were  leaving,  so  that  only  old  people  and 
children  would  be  found  in  the  town  when  the 
Romans  arrived.     Jonas  also   brought   word   that 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE,  173 

Vespasian's  whole  army  was  moving  against 
Gamala.  John  had  given  Jonas  money  before  he 
started  to  purchase  bows  and  arrows.  He  had 
brought  back  bows  for  the  whole  party,  and  as 
many  arrows  as  he  could  carry. 

"  I  paid  nothing  for  them,"  he  said  as  he  threw 
them  down.  "  The  man  who  sold  them  was  pray- 
ing those  who  were  leaving  the  town  to  take  them, 
for  he  thought  that  if  the  Romans  found  them  in 
his  house  they  would  destroy  it ;  but  no  one  listened, 
all  were  too  busy  in  carrying  off  such  of  their  house- 
hold goods  as  they  could  take  to  burden  themselves 
further  ;  so  he  gladly  gave  me  as  many  as  I  could 
take.  1  carried  off  nearly  all  his  bows,  and  I  left 
him  breaking  up  the  rest  and  his  store  of  arrows  in 
order  to  burn  them  before  the  Romans  arrived.  A 
boy  carrying  a  bag  of  arrow-heads  came  with  me 
some  little  distance.  I  paid  the  man  for  them,  and 
they  are  now  hidden  in  the  forest.  You  can  fetch 
them  when  you  will,  but  1  could  not  carry  more 
with  me  than  I  have  got." 

"  You  have  done  well,  Jonas,"  John  said  as  the 
men  seized  each  a  bow  and  divided  the  arrows 
among  them;  and  then  stood  waiting,  expecting 
orders  from  John  to  proceed  at  once  to  harass  the 
Roman  column  as  it  ascended  the  hill. 

"  No,"  John  said  in  answer  to  their  looks,  "  we 
will  not  meddle  with  them  to-day.  Did  we  shoot  at 
them  they  would  suppose  that  we  belonged  to 
Jabez  Galaad.  and  would  in  revenge  destroy  the 
town  and  all  those  they  may  find  within  it,  and  our 


174  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

first  essay  against  them  would  bring  destruction 
upon  thousands  of  our  countrymen." 

The  others  saw  the  justness  of  his  reasoning,  and 
their  faith  in  him  as  their  leader  was  strengthened 
by  his  calmness  and  readiness  of  decision. 

"  Is  the  bag  of  arrow-heads  heavy,  Jonas?" 

"  It  is  as  much  as  the  boy,  who  was  about  my 
own  age,  could  carry,"  Jonas  replied. 

"  Then  do  you,  Phineas,  and  you,  Simeon,  go  with 
Jonas  to  the  place  where  the  bag  is  hidden,  and 
carry  it  to  the  place  we  have  fixed  upon  for  our 
camp.  If  on  the  way  you  come  across  a  herd  of 
goats,  shoot  two  or  three  of  them  and  take  them 
with  you,  and  get  fires  ready.  The  day  is  getting 
on,  but  we  will  go  across  the  mountains  and  see 
where  the  Romans  are  pitching  their  camp,  and  by 
sunset  we  will  be  with  you." 

Making  their  way  along  the  mountain  the  band 
came,  after  an  hour's  walking,  to  a  point  where 
they  could  obtain  a  view  of  Gamala. 

The  city  stood  on  the  western  extremity  of  the 
hill,  which,  after  sloping  gradual^  down,  rose  sud- 
denly in  a  sharp  ridge  like  the  hump  of  a  camel, 
from  which  the  town  had  its  name,  Gamala.  On 
both  sides  this  rock  ended  abruptly  in  a  precipitous 
chasm,  in  which  ran  the  two  branches  of  the 
Hieromax,  which  met  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
ridge,  and  ran  together  into  the  end  of  the  lake  at 
Tarichea,  three  miles  away. 

Thus  Gamala  was  only  accessible  from  behind, 
where  the  ridge  joined  the  mountains.     Across  this 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  I75 

neck  of  land  a  deep  fosse  had  been  dug,  so  as  to  cut 
off  all  approach.  The  houses  were  crowded  thickly 
on  the  steep  slope  of  the  ridge,  which  was  so  abrupt 
that  the  houses  seemed  to  overhang  one  another. 
On  the  southern  crag,  which  was  of  immense 
height,  was  the  citadel  of  the  town.  There  was  a 
spring  supplying  abundance  of  water  within  the 
walls.  Had  it  been  defended  by  a  garrison  as  brave 
and  numerous  as  that  of  Jotapata  it  would  have 
been  well-nigh  impregnable,  but  Cheres  and  Joseph, 
who  commanded,  had  none  of  the  genius  of  Jose- 
phus,  although  they  Avere  brave  and  determined. 
The  city  was  crowded  with  fugitives  from  all  parts, 
and  had  already,  for  seven  months,  resisted  a  be- 
sieging force  which  Agrippa  had  sent  against  it. 

It  was  impossible  to  blockade  the  whole  circuit 
of  the  town,  but  Vespasian  took  possession  of  all 
the  neighboring  heights  and  established  his  camp, 
with  that  of  the  Fifteenth  Legion,  on  the  hill  fac- 
ing the  city  to  the  east.  The  Fifth  Legion  threw 
up  works  opposite  the  center  of  the  city,  while  the 
Tenth  set  to  work  to  fill  up  ditches  and  ravines  in 
order  to  facilitate  the  approaches.  Agrippa  ap- 
proached the  wall  to  persuade  the  inhabitants  to 
surrender,  but  was  struck  on  the  right  elbow  by  a 
stone  from  a  sling  and  forced  to  retire. 

This  insult  to  the  native  king,  who  came  in  the 
character  of  an  ambassador,  enraged  the  Romans, 
and  they  set  about  the  operations  for  the  siege  with 
great  vigor.  In  spite  of  the  efforts  of  the  Jews  the 
fosse   which   protected   the   wall   on  the  east  was 


176  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

speedily  filled  up,  and  the  Romans  then  began,  as 
at  Jotapata,  to  raise  an  embankment  facing  the 
wall. 

The  day  after  the  Romans  had  established  their 
camp  John  and  his  followers  advanced  along  the 
mountain  until  they  could  look  down  upon  it,  and 
for  a  long  time  watched  the  Romans  at  work,  and 
learned  all  the  details  of  the  camp, 

"  You  must  fix  them  in  your  minds,"  John  said, 
"  in  order  that  even  on  a  dark  night  you  may  be 
able  to  make  your  way  about  it  without  diflQculty, 
so  that  you  may  be  able,  after  striking  a  blow,  to 
fly  directly  to  the  mountain,  for  any  who  get 
confused  and  miss  their  way  will  assuredly  be  killed. 
You  see  the  enemy  have  placed,  a  strong  guard  half- 
way up  the  hillside  in  order  to  protect  themselves 
from  surprise ;  but  it  will  be  possible,  by  moving 
down  to  the  streams  and  then  mounting  again,  to 
reach  the  camp  without  passing  through  them. 
And  by  the  same  way  we  must  make  our  retreat, 
for  if  we  succeed  in  setting  the  camp  on  fire  the 
flames  will  enable  the  guard  on  the  mountain  to  see 
us  approaching  them.  I  had  hoped  that  we  might 
be  able  to  penetrate  unobserved  to  the  tent  of 
Yespasian,  and  to  slay  him  and  some  of  his  gen- 
erals ;  but  by  the  bustle  that  we  see  round  that 
tower  on  the  hillside,  and  by  the  strong  force  of 
cavalry  picketed  round  it,  it  is  evident  that  he  has 
taken  up  his  quarters  there,  and,  indeed,  from  the 
top  of  the  tower  he  can  look  down  upon  the  town 
and  on  all  that  is  passing  there,  and  issue  his 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  177 ' 

directions  to  his  troops  accordingly,  so  we  must 
give  up  that  idea.  Another  time  we  may  be  more 
fortunate.  But,  see,  a  great  number  of  troops  are 
ascending  the  hill  toward  us,  doubtless  to  cut 
timber  for  their  works.  As  soon  as  they  are  at 
work  we  will  attack  them." 

The  party  retired  into  the  forest,  and  as  soon  as 
they  heard  the  sound  of  the  Roman  axes  they  crept 
quietly  forward,  moving  noiselessly  with  their 
sandaled  feet  among  the  trees.  When  within  a 
short  distance  of  the  Komans  John  ordered  them  to 
halt,  and  crept  forward  with  Jonas  to  reconnoiter. 
There  was  little  fear  of  their  being  heard,  for 
several  hundred  men  were  at  work  felling  trees,  a 
line  of  sentries  at  ten  paces  apart  standing  under 
arms  to  prevent  a  surprise.  The  Romans  were 
working  too  thickly  to  permit  of  any  successful 
action  by  so  small  a  party,  and  John  saw  that  the 
idea  of  an  attack  must  be  abandoned,  and  that  he 
must  confine  himself  for  the  present  to  harassing 
the  sentries. 

Rejoining  his  men  he  told  them  what  he  had  dis- 
covered, and  bade  them  scatter  along  the  line,  and, 
crawling  up  under  the  protection  of  the  trees,  to 
approach  as  near  as  they  could  to  the  line  of 
sentries,  and  then  to  shoot  at  them  or  at  the  work- 
men, many  of  whom,  having  thrown  off  their  heavy 
armor  to  enable  them  the  better  to  work,  offered 
more  favorable  marks  for  the  arrows  than  the 
sentries,  whose  faces  only  were  exposed.  They 
were  on  no  account  to  come  to  close  quarters  with 


178  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

the  Komans.  If  the  latter  advanced  they  were  in- 
stantly to  retire,  approaching  again  as  soon  as  the 
Romans  recommenced  their  work ;  and  so  to  con- 
tinue until  he  blew  the  signal  for  them  to  draw  off 
altogether.  They  were  not  to  begin  until  they 
heard  his  signal  for  attack. 

After  allowing  some  little  time  to  elapse  for  the 
men  to  get  into  position,  John  blew  his  horn.  A 
moment,  and  cries  and  shouts  were  heard  along  the 
whole  Roman  Ijne.  The  sound  of  chopping  instant- 
ly ceased,  and  the  Roman  trumpets  blew  to  arms. 
John  had  advanced  sufficiently  near  to  see  the  Ro- 
man workmen  before  he  gave  the  signal.  Jonas 
was  a  little  in  advance  of  him,  and  as  the  horn 
sounded  he  saw  him  step  out  from  behind  a  tree, 
whirl  his  sling  round  his  head  and  discharge  a  stone, 
and  almost  simultaneously  a  Roman  sentinel,  some 
forty  paces  away,  fell  with  a  crash  upon  the  ground. 

The  Roman  soldiers  who  had  retained  their  armor 
ran  instantly  forward  to  support  their  sentries.  The 
others  hastily  buckled  on  their  breastplates,  caught 
up  their  bucklers  and  helmets,  and  joined  their  com- 
rades. Arrows  continued  to  fall  among  them  from 
their  invisible  foes,  and  although  most  of  these  fell 
harmless  from  their  armor,  several  soldiers  fell  in 
addition  to  the  seven  or  eight  who  had  been  killed 
by  the  first  volley.  The  centurion  in  command  soon 
saw  that  the  number  of  his  assailants  was  small,  but, 
afraid  of  being  drawn  into  an  ambush,  he  hesitated 
to  give  orders  for  an  advance,  but  dispatched  a  mes- 
senger  mstantly  to  camp,  contenting  himself  with 


POB  THE  TEMPLE.  I79 

throwing  out  strong  parties  a  hundred  yards  in  ad- 
vance of  his  line.  These  now  became  the  objects  of 
attack,  while  arrows  ceased  to  fall  among  the  main 
body  of  the  troops. 

John  moved  round  the  flank  till  he  gained  a  po- 
sition whence  he  could  observe  the  camp.  The 
trumpets  above  had  been  heard  there,  and  the  troops 
had  already  taken  up  their  position  under  arms.  As 
he  looked  on  he  saw  the  messenger  run  up  to  a  party 
of  mounted  officers.  A  minute  later  a  trumpet 
sounded,  and  a  strong  body  of  Arabian  archers  ad- 
*  vanced  at  a  run  up  the  slope.  John  at  once  with- 
drew to  his  first  position,  and  sounded  the  order  for 
instant  retreat,  and  then  hurr3'ing  back  half  a  mile, 
sounded  the  note  for  his  followers  to  assemble  at  the 
spot  where  he  was  standing. 

In  a  few  minutes  all  had  joined  him.  They  were 
in  high  spirits  at  the  success  of  this  first  skirmish, 
and  wondered  why  they  had  been  so  suddenly  called 
off  when  the  Romans  had  shown  no  signs  of  ad- 
vancing against  them. 

"  There  are  fully  a  thousand  Arab  archers  in  the 
forest  by  this  timf ,"  John  said.  "  They  are  as  fleet 
of  foot  as  we  are,  and  it  would  be  madness  to  re- 
main. We  have  stopped  their  work  for  a  time, 
and  have  killed  many  without  a  scratch  to  ourselves. 
That  is  well  enough  for  to-day ;  to-morrow  we 
will  beat  them  up  again." 

At  daybreak  two  of  the  party  were  sent  forward 
to  the  edo^e  of  the  wood  to  see  with  what  force  the 
Romans  went  out  to  work.     They  brought  back  the 


180  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

report  that  they  were  accompanied  by  a  strong 
body  of  archers,  and  that  as  soon  as  they  reached 
the  forest  the  archers  were  scattered  in  front  of 
them  for  a  long  distance,  and  that  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  approach  them  unobserved.  On  the 
previous  afternoon  John  had  dispatched  Jonas  to 
Abila,  and  he  had  returned  with  a  number  of  cows' 
horns.  Hound  the  fire  in  the  evening  the  men  had 
set  to  work  to  pierce  the  points  with  heated  arrow- 
heads, and  had  converted  them  into  instruments 
capable  of  giving  a  deep,  prolonged  sound.  On  the 
return  of  the  scouts  John  set  his  men  in  motion. 

"  We  cannot  fight  them  to-day,  but  we  can  hinder 
their  work.  We  will  scatter  through  the  forest, 
and  as  we  approach  them  each,  is  to  sound  his  horn, 
and  continue  to  do  so  from  time  to  time.  The 
Romans  will  think  that  a  great  force  is  advancing 
against  them." 

This  was  done  with  the  efifect  John  had  antici- 
pated. Hearing  the  sound  of  horns  all  over  the 
mountain  side,  the  Romans  concluded  that  a  great 
force  was  advancing  to  attack  them,  and  the  archers 
were  at  once  recalled. 

The  troops  all  stood  to  arms,  and  for  several  hours 
remained  waiting  an  attack.  Then  after  strong  bod- 
ies of  heavy -armed  troops,  preceded  by  the  archers 
skirmishing  before  them,  had  pushed  some  distance 
into  the  forests  without  meeting  with  an  enemy, 
the  work  recommenced,  a  considerable  number  still 
standing  to  their  arms  as  protectors  to  the  rest. 
Although  a  certain  amount  of  time  had  been  gained 


mR  THE  TEMPLE.  Igl 

for  the  city  by  the  interruption  of  the  work  of 
bringing  in  timber,  John  had  undertaken  these 
sham  attacks  rather  with  the  purpose  of  accustom- 
ing his  band  to  work  together  and  to  give  them 
confidence,  than  with  the  view  of  troubling  the 
Romans,  In  this  he  was  perfectly  successful.  The 
band  when  they  reached  their  camp  that  evening 
were  in  high  spirits. 

They  had  for  two  days  puzzled  and  baffled  a  large 
Roman  force,  had  inflicted  some  loss  upon  them, 
and  forced  them  to  desist  from  their  work.  They 
were  pleased  with  themselves  and  their  leader,  and 
had  lost  much  of  the  dread  of  the  Romans  which 
the  capture  of  Jotapata,  Japha,  and  Tarichea,  and 
the  tales  of  their  cruelty  and  ferocity,  had  excited 
among  the  whole  population.  A  reverse  at  the 
commencement  of  their  work  would  have  been 
fatal,  and  John  had  felt  that  however  earnest  the 
men  were  in  their  determination  to  die  fighting  for 
their  country,  the  loss  of  a  few  of  their  number  at 
the  outset  would  have  so  dispirited  the  rest  that  the 
probability  was  that  the  band  would  disperse,  or 
would  at  any  rate  be  unwilling  to  undertake  any 
desperate  operation.  But  in  their  present  mood 
they  were  ready  for  any  enterprise  upon  which  he 
might  lead  them,  and  he  accordingly  told  them  that 
he  should  abstain  next  day  from  a  continuance  of 
his  attacks  upon  the  working  party,  but  that  at 
night  he  would  carry  out  the  design  of  setting  fire 
to  their  camp. 

Accordingly  the  following  day  the  Romans  pur- 


182  ^R  THE  TEMPLE, 

sued  their  work  unmolested,  although  they  still 
continued  the  precaution  of  keeping  a  force  of  arch- 
ers and  parties  of  heavy-armed  troops  in  advance  of 
those  working  in  the  wood.  John  did  not  move  till 
the  afternoon,  and  then,  descending  the  hill  to  the 
right,  he  skirted  along  in  the  lower  forest  until 
within  two  miles  of  Gamala  ;  here  he  halted  until 
nightfall.  While  waiting  for  the  hour  of  action  he 
gave  final  instructions  to  his  men  and  assigned  to 
them  the  order  in  which  they  should  ascend  from 
the  river  toward  the  rear  of  the  camp.  When 
they  approached  the  spot  where  they  would  prob- 
ably find  Roman  sentries  posted  they  were  to  ad- 
vance singly,  crawling  along  upon  the  ground. 

Those  who  first  went  through  were  to  keep 
straight  on  until  they  reached  the  further  end  of 
the  camp,  stopping  as  near  as  they  could  judge  fifty 
paces  apart.  They  were  then  to  wait  for  half  an 
hour  so  as  to  be  sure  that  all  would  have  gained 
their  allotted  positions.  Then  when  they  saw  a 
certain  star  sink  below  the  horizon  (a  method  of 
calculating  time  to  which  all  were  accustomed)  they 
were  to  creep  forward  into  the  Roman  camp,  and 
each  to  make  his  way  as  noiselessly  as  possible  until 
he  came  within  a  few  paces  of  one  of  the  smolder- 
ing fires  of  the  Romans  and  to  wait  until  they  heard 
a  sinsrle  note  from  John's  horn.  Each  was  at  once 
to  spring  forward,  seize  a  lighted  brand  and  fire  the 
nearest  tent,  and  then  to  crawl  away,  cutting,  as 
thev  went,  the  ropes  of  the  tents,  so  as  to  bring 
thciu  down  and  create  as  much  confusion  as  possi- 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  183 

ble.  Then,  either  by  crawling,  or,  if  discovered,  by- 
leaping  to  their  fefit  and  making  a  sudden  rush,  all 
were  to  make  their  way  down  to  the  river  again,  to 
follow  its  banks  for  half  a  mile,  and  then  wait  in  a 
body  for  an  hour.  At  the  end  of  that  time  they 
were  to  make  their  way  back  to  their  camp  in  the 
mountains,  certain  by  that  time  that  all  who  were 
alive  would  have  rejoined  them.  Should  he  him- 
self not  be  with  the  party  they  were  at  once  to  pro- 
ceed to  the  election  of  another  leader. 

At  about  ten  o'clock  they  again  moved  forward, 
and  descending  to  the  river  followed  its  banks  until 
they  arrived  at  the  spot  they  had  fixed  on ;  then  in 
single  file  they  began  to  climb  the  hill.  John 
placed  himself  in  the  middle  of  the  line  in  order  to 
have  a  central  position  when  the  attack  began.  As 
soon  as  they  reached  the  top  of  the  slope  they  lay 
down  and  one  by  one  crawled  forward  into  the 
darkness,  two  or  three  minutes  being  allowed  to 
elapse  between  the  departure  of  each  man.  They 
could  hear  the  call  of  the  Roman  sentries  as  they 
answered  each  other  every  half-hour,  and  knew  that 
the  line  was  but  a  hundred  yards  or  so  in  front  of 
them. 

The  night  was  very  dark,  and  no  sudden  shout 
proclaimed  that  those  ahead  had  been  noticed. 
When  John's  turn  came  to  advance,  Jonas  was  to 
follow  next  behind  him.  All  had  left  their  bows, 
arrows,  bucklers,  and  swords  behind  them,  and 
carried  only  their  knives,  for  they  had  not  come  to 
fight,  and  the  knives  were  required  only  for  cutting 


184  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

the  tent-ropes,  or,  in  case  of  discovery,  to  enable 
them  to  take  a  life  or  two  before  they  fell  fighting. 
Each  had  sworn  to  kill  himself  if  he  found  escape 
impossible,  in  order  to  escape  a  death  by  torture  if 
he  fell  alive  into  the  hands  of  the  Romans. 

John,  on  approaching  the  line  of  sentries,  was 
guided  by  sound  only  in  trying  to  avoid  them.  He 
could  not  see  their  figures,  but  could  hear  the  sound 
of  their  footsteps  and  the  clash  of  their  arms  as 
they  tramped  a  few  yards  backward  and  forward. 
He  was,  like  his  comrades,  stripped  to  the  waist, 
having  only  on  a  short  garment  reaching  half-way 
down  the  knee,  as  it  was  upon  speed  and  activity 
that  his  life  would  depend. 

Without  interruption  he  crawled  through  the 
lines  of  sentries,  and  continued  his  course  until  he 
was,  as  near  as  he  could  tell,  opposite  the  center  of 
the  long  line  of  tents ;  then  he  lay  quiet  watching 
the  setting  of  the  star.  No  sound  was  heard  from 
the  camp  in  front,  although  from  down  the  hillside 
beyond  it  came  a  confused  noise,  as  of  a  host  of  men 
at  work,  and  the  glare  of  many  fires  reddened  the 
skies,  for  there  five  thousand  men  were  at  work 
raising  the  embankment  against  the  doomed  city, 
while  the  archers  and  slingers  maintained  a  never- 
ceasing  conflict  of  missiles  with  the  defenders  on 
the  walls. 

The  star  seemed  to  John  as  if  it  hung  on  its  course, 
so  long  was  it  in  sinking  to  the  horizon.  But  at 
last  it  sank,  and  John,  crawling  noiselessly  forward, 
made  his  way  into  the  Roman  camp. 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  185 

It  was  arranged  with  wide  and  regular  streets 
laid  out  with,  mechanical  accuracy.  Here  and 
there,  in  front  of  a  tent  of  a  commanding  officer, 
sentries  paced  to  and  fro,  the  sound  of  their  foot- 
steps and  the  clash  of  their  arms  each  time  they 
turned  giving  warning  of  their  positions.  In  the 
center  of  the  streets  the  fires,  round  which  the  sol- 
diers had  shortly  before  been  gathered,  still  glowed 
and  flickered  ;  for  although  the  days  were  hot  the 
cold  at  night  rendered  fires  desirable,  and  there  was 
an  abundance  of  fuel  to  be  obtained  from  the 
hills. 

John  crawled  along  with  the  greatest  care.  He 
had  no  fear  of  being  seen,  but  had  he  come  roughly 
against  a  tent-rope  he  might  have  brought  out  some 
wakeful  occupant  of  the  tent  to  see  who  was 
moving. 

He  continued  his  course  until  he  found  himself 
opposite  a  fire  in  which  some  of  the  brands  were 
burning  brightly,  while  there  was  no  sentry  on 
guard  within  a  distance  of  fift}'^  yards.  So  far  every- 
thing had  gone  well ;  neither  in  passing  through 
the  lines  of  the  sentries  nor  in  making  their  way 
into  the  camp  had  any  of  the  band  been  observed. 
It  was  certain  now  that  some  at  least  would  succeed 
in  setting  fire  to  the  tents  before  they  were  dis- 
covered, and  the  wind,  which  was  blowing  briskly 
from  the  mountains,  would  speedily  spread  the 
flames,  and  a  heavy  blow  would  be  inflicted  upon 
the  enemy. 


186  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    STORMING    OF   GAMALA. 

At  last  John  made  sure  that  all  his  followers 
must  have  taken  up  a  favorable  position.  Rising  to 
his  feet  he  sounded  a  short  note  on  his  horn,  then 
sprang  forward  and  seized  one  of  the  blazing  brands 
and  applied  it  to  a  tent.  The  canvas,  dried  by  the 
scorching  sun,  lit  in  an  instant,  and  as  the  flame 
leaped  up  John  ran  further  among  the  tents,  lighted 
another,  and  leaving  the  brand  there  sprang  twenty 
yards  away  and  then  threw  himself  down.  JBy  this 
time,  although  not  twenty  seconds  had  elapsed  since 
he  had  given  the  signal,  a  sudden  uproar  had  suc- 
ceeded the  stillness  which  had  reigned  in  the  camp. 
The  sentries  had  started  on  their  posts  as  they 
heard  the  note  of  the  horn,  but  had  stood  a  moment 
irresolute,  not  knowing  what  it  meant.  Then,  as 
the  first  flash  of  flame  shot  up,  a  simultaneous  shout 
had  arisen  from  every  man  on  guard,  rising  louder 
and  louder  as  the  first  flame  was  followed  almost 
instantly  by  a  score  of  others  in  different  parts  of 
the  camp. 

It  was  but  a  few  seconds  later  that  the  first 
trumpeter  who  rushed  from  his  tent  blew  the  alarm. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  187 

Before  its  notes  ceased  it  was  answered  all  over  the 
camp,  and  with  a  start  the  sleeping  soldiers  sprang 
up,  caught  up  their  arras,  and  rushed  out  of  their 
tents.  Startled  as  they  were  with  the  suddenness 
of  the  awaking  and  the  sight  of  the  blazing  tents, 
there  was  none  of  that  confusion  that  would  have 
occurred  among  troops  less  inured  to  warfare.  Each 
man  did  his  duty ;  and  buckling  on  their  arms  as 
best  they  might,  stumbling  over  the  tent-ropes  in 
the  darkness,  amazed  by  the  sound  of  the  fall  of 
tents  here  and  there,  expecting  every  moment  to  be 
attacked  by  their  unseen  foe,  the  troops  made  their 
way  speedily  to  the  wide  streets  and  there  fell  in 
together  in  military  array  and  waited  for  orders. 
These  were  not  long  in  coming. 

As  soon  as  the  generals  reached  the  spot  they 
told  off  a  number  of  men  to  endeavor  to  extinguish 
the  flames,  sent  other  parties  to  scour  the  camp  and 
search  for  the  enemy,  while  the  rest  in  solid  order 
awaited  any  attack  that  might  be  made  upon  them. 
But  short  as  was  the  time  that  had  elapsed  since 
the  first  alarm,  it  had  sufficed  to  give  the  flames 
such  hold  and  power  that  they  were  beyond  con- 
trol. 

With  extraordinary  rapidity  the  fire  had  leaped 
from  tent  to  tent,  and  threatened  to  overwhelm  the 
whole  camp.  The  soldiers  tried  in  vain  to  arrest 
the  progress  of  the  flames,  rushing  among  the  blaz- 
ing tents,  cutting  the  ropes  to  bring  them  to  the 
ground,  and  trying  to  beat  out  the  masses  of  fire  as 
they  fell.     Many  were  terribly  burned  in  their  en- 


188  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

deavors,  but  in  vain,  and  the  ofiBcers  soon  called 
thera  off  and  set  them  to  work  pulling  down  the 
tents  which  the  fire  ha<l  not  yet  reached,  but  even 
this  was  useless ;  the  flakes  of  fire,  driven  before 
the  wind,  fell  on  the  heaps  of  dried  canvas,  and  the 
flames  spread  almost  as  rapidly  as  they  had  done 
when  the  tents  were  standing. 

Nor  were  the  parties  in  search  of  the  incendiaries 
more  successful.  John  had  lain  quiet  where  he 
threw  himself  down  for  a  minute  or  two,  b}'^  which 
time  the  tents  had  emptied  of  their  occupants; 
then  pausing  only  occasionally  to  circle  a  tent  and 
cut  away  its  ropes,  he  made  his  way  to  the  edge  of 
the  camp.  'By  this  time  the  sheet  of  flame  had  ex- 
tended well-nigh  across  the'  camp,  extending  high 
above  it  and  lighting  it  almost  as  if  by  day.  But 
between  him  and  the  fire  lay  still  a  dark  mass  of 
tents,  for  the  wind  was  blowing  in  the  opposite 
direction,  and  light  as  it  was  elsewhere,  in  the 
black  shadow  of  the  tents  it  was  still  dark  in  the 
extreme. 

John  made  his  way  along  until  he  came  to  the 
end  of  the  next  street,  and  then  paused.  Already 
three  or  four  active  figures  had  run  past  him  at  the 
top  of  their  speed,  and  he  wished  to  be  the  last  to 
retreat.  He  stayed  till  he  heard  the  tramp  of 
troops  coming  down,  driven  out  by  the  spreading 
flames,  and  then  sprang  across  the  end  of  the  road, 
and  dashed  along  at  full  speed,  still  keeping  close 
to  the  line  of  tents. 

A  shout  which  rose  from  the  leading  files  of  the 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  189 

Koman  column  showed  that  he  was  seen.  As  he 
neared  the  end  of  the  next  opening  the  Roman 
soldiers  were  pouring  out,  and  he  turned  in  among 
the  tents  again.  Through  these  he  made  his  way, 
dashing  across  the  open  spaces,  and  once  rushing 
tjhrough  the  midst  of  a  Roman  column,  through 
which  he  passed  before  the  troops  had  time  to  strike 
at  or  seize  him. 

At  last  he  reached  the  extremity  of  the  camp; 
the  slope  down  to  the  river  was  but  fifty  yards 
away,  and  once  over  the  brow  he  would  be  in  dark- 
ness and  safe  from  pursuit.  But  already  the 
Romans  had  drawn  up  a  column  of  men  along  the 
edge  of  the  plateau  to  cut  off  any  who  might  try 
to  pass.  John  paused  among  the  last  row  of  the 
tents,  hesitating  what  course  to  adopt.  He  could 
not  make  directly  up  the  mountain,  for  the  space 
between  it  and  the  camp  was  now  covered  by  the 
Roman  cavalry,  the  greater  portion  of  their  in- 
fantry being  still  engaged  in  trying  to  save  at  least 
some  portion  of  the  camp. 

Suddenly  he  heard  a  footstep  among  the  tents 
close  behind  him.  He  drew  back  into  the  tent  by 
which  he  was  standing  and  peered  cautiously  out. 
A  Roman  soldier  came  hastily  along  and  entered 
the  next  tent,  doubtless  to  fetch  some  article  of 
value  which  he  had  left  behind  him  as  he  rushed 
out  on  the  first  alarm. 

A  sudden  idea  flashed  across  John's  brain :  he 
waited  till  the  soldier  came  out,  followed  him  with 
silent  steps,  and  then  sprang  upon  him  at  a  bound, 


190  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

hurling  him  to  the  ground  and  burying  his  knife 
again  and  again  in  his  body. 

Kot  a  cry  had  escaped  the  Roman.  The  instant 
he  was  sure  he  was  dead  John  rose  to  his  feet, 
placed  the  helmet  of  the  fallen  man  on  his  head, 
secured  the  breastplate  by  a  single  buckle  round  his 
neck,  took  up  his  buckler  and  sword,  and  then 
emerging  from  one  of  the  tents  ran  toward  the 
Roman  line,  making  for  one  of  the  narrow  openings 
between  the  different  companies.  Several  other 
soldiers,  who  had,  like  the  man  whom  John  had 
killed,  gone  back  to  their  tents  to  fetch  armor  or 
arms  left  there,  were  also  hurrying  to  take  their 
places  in  the  ranks,  therefore  no  special  attention 
was  paid  to  John  until  he  was  within  a  few  yards 
of  the  opening.  Then  a  centurion  at  the  end  of  the 
line  said  sternly  : 

"  You  will  be  punished  to-morrow  for  not  being 
in  your  place.  What  is  your  name  ?"  for  as  John 
was  between  him  and  the  sheet  of  flame  rising  from 
the  camp,  the  Roman  was  unable  to  see  his  face. 
Instead  of  halting,  as  he  expected,  John  sprang  past 
him,  and  throwing  down  his  helmet  and  buckler 
dashed  through  the  space  between  the  companies. 

"Seize  him!  cut  him  down!"  the  centurion 
shouted ;  but  John  was  already  descending  the 
slope.  As  he  ran  he  swung  the  loosely  buckled 
breastplate  round  on  to  his  back,  and  it  was  well  he 
did  so,  for  a  moment  later  a  Roman  javelin  rang 
against  it,  the  force  of  the  blow  almost  throwing 
him  on  his  face.     But  in  a  moment  he  continued  his 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  191 

course.  He  was  in  total  darkness  now  ;  and  though 
the  javelins  were  flying  around  him,  they  were 
thrown  at  random.  But  the  descent  had  now  be- 
come so  steep  he  was  obliged  to  pause  in  his  course, 
and  to  make  his  way  cautiously. 

He  undid  the  buckle  and  left  the  breastplate  be- 
hind him,  threw  down  the  sword,  and  climbed  down 
until  he  stood  by  the  side  of  the  river.  He  could 
hear  shouts  above  him,  and  knew  that  the  Romans 
were  searching  the  hillside,  hoping  that  he  had  been 
killed  or  wounded  by  their  darts.  But  he  had  no 
fear  of  pursuit.  He  swam  the  river,  for  he  had 
struck  upon  a  deep  spot,  and  then  at  full  speed  ran 
along  on  the  bank,  knowing  that  some  of  the 
Roman  cavalry  were  encamped  upon  the  plain  and 
would  soon  be  on  the  spot.  However,  all  was 
quiet,  and  he  met  no  one  until  he  arrived  opposite 
the  place  where  it  had  been  arranged  that  the  party 
should  meet.     Then  he  waded  across. 

"  Is  that  you,  John  V  a  voice  exclaimed. 

"  It  is  I,  Jonas.  Thank  God  you  have  got  back 
safely  !     How  many  are  with  you  ?" 

There  was  a  loud  cry  of  satisfaction ;  and  as  he 
made  his  way  up  the  bank  a  number  of  his  fol- 
lowers crowded  round  him,  all  in  the  highest  state 
of  delight  at  his  return.  Jonas  threw  his  arms 
round  his  neck,  crying  with  joy. 

"  I  thought  you  must  have  fallen,  John.  I  have 
been  here  ten  minutes  ;  most  of  the  others  were  here 
before  me,  only  three  have  arrived  since,  and  for 
the  last  five  minutes  none  have  come." 


192  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

"I  fear  no  more  will  come,"  John  said;  "the 
Romans  have  cut  off  all  retreat.  How  many  are 
missing  ?" 

"  We  were  nineteen  here  before  you  came,"  one 
of  the  men  replied. 

"  Then  there  are  six  missing,"  John  said.  "  We 
will  not  give  them  up.  Some  may  have  made  their 
wa}'^  straight  up  the  mountain,  fearing  to  be  seen  as 
they  passed  the  ends  of  the  open  spaces ;  some  may 
have  made  their  way  down  the  opposite  slope  to 
the  other  arm  of  the  river.  But  even  if  all  are 
killed  we  need  not  repine.  They  have  died  as  they 
wished — taking  vengeance  upon  the  Romans.  It 
has  been  a  glorious  success.  More  than  half  the 
Roman  camp  is  assuredly  destrpyed,  and  they  must 
have  lost  a  prodigious  quantity  of  stores  of  all  kinds. 
Who  are  missing  V 

He  heard  the  names  of  those  absent. 

"  I  trust  we  may  see  some  of  them  yet,"  he  said  ; 
"  but  if  not,  Jonas  to-morrow  shall  carry  to  their 
friends  the  news  of  their  death.  They  will  be 
wept;  but  their  parents  will  be  proud  that  their 
sons  have  died  in  striking  so  heavy  a  blow  upon  our 
oppressors.  They  will  live  in  the  memory  of  their 
villages  as  men  who  died  doing  a  great  deed ;  and 
women  will  say,  Had  all  done  their  duty  as  they 
did  the  Romans  would  never  have  enslaved  our 
nation.  We  will  wait  another  half-liour  here ;  but 
I  fear  that  no  more  will  join  us,  for  the  Romans  are 
drawn  up  all  along  the  line  where  .alone  a  descent 
could  be  made  in  the  valley." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  193 

"  Then  how  did  you  escape,  John,"  Jonas  asked, 
"and  how  is  it  that  you  were  not  here  before? 
Several  of  those  who  were  in  the  line  beyond  you 
have  returned." 

"  I  waited  till  I  hoped  that  all  had  passed,"  John 
said.  "  Each  one  who  ran  past  the  open  spaces 
added  to  the  danger,  for  the  Eoraans  beyond  could 
not  but  notice  them  as  they  passed  the  spaces  light- 
ed by  the  flames,  and  it  was  my  duty  as  leader  to 
be  the  last  to  go." 

"  Six  of  those  who  were  beyond  you  have  joined 
us,"  one  of  the  men  said.  "  The  other  six  are  those 
that  are  missing." 

"  That  is  what  I  feared,"  John  answered.  "  I  felt 
sure  that  those  behind  me  would  have  got  safely 
away  before  the  Romans  recovered  from  their  first 
confusion.  The  danger  was  of  course  greater  in 
proportion  to  the  distance  from  the  edge  of  the 
slope." 

"  But  how  did  you  get  through,  John,  since  you 
say  that  all  escape  is  cut  off  ?" 

John  related  how  he  had  slain  the  Roman  soldier 
and  escaped  with  his  armor,  and  the  recital  raised 
him  still  higher  in  the  estimation  of  his  followers  ; 
for  the  modern  feeling  that  it  is  right  to  kill  even 
the  bitterest  enemy  only  in  fair  fight  was  wholly 
unknown  in  those  days,  when,  as  was  done  by  the 
Romans  at  Jotapata,  men  would  cut  the  throat  of  a 
sleeping  foe  with  no  more  compunction  than  if  they 
were  slaughtering  a  fovvl. 

Perceiving  by  John's  narration  that  there  was  no 


194  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

chance  of  any  of  their  comrades  getting  through  to 
join  them  now,  the  party  struck  off  into  the  hills, 
and  after  three  hours'  march  reached  their  encamp- 
ment. They  gave  a  shout  of  joy  as  they  approached 
it,  for  a  fire  was  burning  brightly,  and  they  knew 
that  some  of  their  comrades  must  have  reached  the 
spot  before  them.  Four  men  rose  as  they  ap- 
proached, and  joyful  greetings  were  exchanged. 
Their  stories  were  soon  told.  As  soon  as  they  heard 
by  the  shouts  of  the  Eomans  on  the  hillside,  and  of 
the  outer  sentries,  that  they  were  discovered  as  they 
passed  the  spaces  lit  up  by  flames,  they  had  turned 
back.  Two  of  them  had  made  their  way  up  a  deep 
water-course  past  the  Roman  guard  on  the  hill,  the 
attention  of  the  soldiers  being  fixed  upon  the  camp. 
The  other  two  had  climbed  down  the  precipitous 
rocks  on  the  other  side  of  the  hill. 

"  It  was  terrible  work  in  the  darkness,"  one  of 
them  said.  "  I  fell  once  and  thought  I  ha,d  broken 
my  leg  ;  but,  fortunately,  I  had  caught  on  a  ledge, 
and  was  able  to  go  on  after  a  time.  I  think  two  of 
our  party  must  have  perished  there  ;  for  twice  as  I 
was  descending  I  heard  a  sudden  cry,  and  then  a 
sound  as  of  a  body  falling  from  rock  to  rock." 

"  Better  so  than  to  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
the  Romans,"  John  said,  "  and  to  have  been  forced 
to  slay  themselves  by  their  own  hands,  as  we  agreed 
to  do.  Well,  my  friends,  we  have  done  a  glorious 
deed.  We  have  begun  well.  Let  us  trust  that  we 
may  strike  many  more  such  blows  against  our  ty- 
rants.   Now,  let  us  thank  God  that  he  has  fought 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  195 

by  our  hands,  and  that  he  has  brought  so  many  of 
us  back  from  so  great  a  danger  !  Simeon,  you  are 
the  oldest  of  the  party  ;  do  you  lift  up  your  voice 
for  us  all." 

The  party  all  stood  listening  reverently  while 
Simeon  said  a  prayer  of  thanksgiving.  Then  one 
of  them  broke  out  into  one  of  the  psalms  of 
triumph,  and  all  joined  at  once.  When  this  was 
done  they  gathered  round  the  lire,  prepared  their 
cakes  of  meal,  and  put  meat  on  long  skewers  on  the 
flames.  Having  eaten,  they  talked  for  hours,  each 
in  turn  giving  his  account  of  his  share  in  the  adven- 
ture. 

They  then  talked  of  their  missing  friends,  those 
from  the  same  village  telling  what  they  knew  of 
them,  and  what  relations  they  had  left  behind.  At 
last,  just  as  morning  was  breaking,  they  retired 
into  the  little  bowers  of  boughs  that  had  been 
erected  to  keep  off  the  cold,  which  was  at  this 
elevation  sharp  at  nights.  They  were  soon  fast 
asleep. 

The  first  thing  the  next  morning  Jonas  set  off  to 
explore  the  foot  of  the  precipices  on  the  south  cidj 
of  the  Roman  camp,  and  to  search  for  the  bodies  A 
their  two  missing  comrades.  He  found  one  terribl}'' 
crushed  ;  of  the  other  ho  could  find  no  sign  what- 
ever. On  his  returning  to  the  mountain  camp  one 
of  the  young:  men  was  sent  off  to  bear  to  the  rela- 
tives  of  the  man  whose  body  had  been  found  the 
certains  news  of  his  death,  and  to  inquire  of  the 
friends  of  the  other  whether  he  had  any  relations 


1£6  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

living  near  the  mountains  to  whom  he  might  have 
made  his  way  if  hurt  or  disabled  by  his  fall.  The 
messenger  returned  on  the  following  day  with  the 
news  that  their  missing  comrade  had  already  arrived 
at  his  home.  His  fall  had  not  been  a  very  deep 
one,  and  when  he  recovered  consciousness,  some 
hours  before  daybreak,  he  found  that  one  of  his  legs 
was  useless  and  an  arm  broken. 

Thinking  that  in  the  morning  the  Romans  might 
search  the  foot  of  the  precipices,  he  dragged  himself 
with  the  greatest  difficulty  a  few  hundred  yards  and 
there  concealed  himself  among  some  bushes.  A 
man  came  along  in  search  of  an  ass  that  had 
strayed ;  he  called  to  him,  and  on  the  man  hearing 
that  he  was  one  of  the  party  \Vho  had  caused  the 
great  fire  in  the  Roman  camp,  the  sight  of  whose 
flames  had  caused  such  exultation  in  the  heart  of 
every  Jew  in  the  plains  around,  he  hurried  away, 
and  fetched  another  v^rith  a  donkey.  Upon  this  the 
injured  man  was  lifted  and  carried  down  to  the 
lake,  passing  on  the  way  several  parties  of  Roman 
soldiers,  to  whom  the  idea  did  not  occur  that  the 
sick  man  was  one  of  the  party  who  had  inflicted 
such  a  terrible  blow  upon  them  on  the  previous 
night.  Once  by  the  side  of  the  lake  there  was  no 
difficulty  in  getting  him  on  board  a  boat,  in  which 
he  was  carried  to  his  native  village. 

The  Romans  were  furious  at  the  blow  which  had 
been  struck  them.  More  than  half  their  camp  and 
camp  equipage  had  been  destroyed,  a  great  part  of 
the  baggage  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  had   been 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  I97 

turned,  and  each  man  had  to  deplore  losses  of  his 
own  as  well  as  the  destruction  of  the  public  prop- 
erty. But  more  than  this  they  felt  the  blow  to 
their  pride.  There  was  not  a  soldier  but  felt 
humiliated  at  the  thought  that  a  number  of  the 
enemy — for  from  the  fire  breaking  out  simultane- 
ously, it  was  certain  at  least  a  score  of  men  must 
have  been  engaged  in  the  matter — should  penetrate 
unseen  into  the  midst  of  their  camp ;  and  worse 
still,  that  after  effecting  all  this  damage  all  should 
have  succeeded  in  making  their  escape — for,  so  far 
as  they  knew,  the  whole  of  the  Jews  got  safely 
away. 

But  not  for  a  moment  did  they  relax  their  siege 
operations.  The  troops  engaged  upon  the  embank- 
ment were  relieved  at  the  usual  hour,  and  half  a 
legion  went  up  into  the  mountains  as  usual  to  pro- 
cure timber,  wbile  four  thousand  archers,  divided 
into  parties  two  hundred  strong,  extended  them- 
selves all  over  the  hills  and  searched  the  forest  for 
miles  for  some  sign  of  their  enemy,  who  were,  they 
were  now  convinced,  comparatively  few  in  numbers. 

The  news  of  the  daring  attack  on  the  Roman 
camp  spread  far  and  wide  among  the  towns  and 
villages  of  the  plains,  and  aroused  the  drooping 
spirits  of  the  people,  who  had  begun  to  think  that 
it  would  be  worse  than  useless  to  offer  any  oppo- 
sition to  the  Roman  power.  Whence  came  the 
part}^  which  had  accomplished  the  deed  or  who 
was  its  leader  none  knew,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
villages  near  Hippos,  who  alone  could  have  enlight- 


198  FOn  THE  TEMPLE. 

ened  them,  were  careful  to  maintain  an  absolute 
silence,  for  they  knew  that  if  by  any  chance  a 
rumor  reached  the  Romans  of  the  locality  from 
which  their  assailants  had  come,  they  would  have 
carried  fire  and  sword  among  all  the  villages  by  the 
lake.  Titus  was  away,  being  absent  on  a  mission 
in  Syria,  and  Yespasian  himself  went  among  the 
troops  exhorting  them  not  to  be  downcast  at  the 
disaster  that  had  befallen  them,  for  that  the  bravest 
men  were  subject  to  sudden  misfortunes  of  this 
kind,  and  exhorted  them  to  push  on  the  siege  with 
all  the  more  vigor  in  order  that  they  might  the 
sooner  remove  to  camping-grounds  where  they 
would  not  be  exposed  to  such  attacks  by  a  lurking 
foe. 

The  soldiers  replied  with  cheers,  and  the  next 
day,  the  embankment  being  completed,  they  opened 
so  terrible  a  fire  from  their  war  engines  upon  the 
defenders  of  the  walls  that  these  were  forced  to  re- 
tire into  the  city.  The  Romans  at  once  pushed  for- 
ward their  battering-rams  to  the  walls,  and  setting 
to  work  with  the  greatest  vigor  speedily  made 
three  breaches,  through  which  they  rushed  with  ex- 
ulting shouts.  The  Jews  ran  down  to  oppose  them, 
and  a  desperate  conflict  took  place  in  the  narrow 
streets  ;  but  the  Romans,  pouring  in  in  great  num- 
bers through  the  breaches,  pressed  them  step  by 
step  up  the  steep  hill.  The  Jews,  animated  by 
despair,  again  turned,  and  fell  upon  them  with  such 
fury  that  the  Romans  could  not  withstand  the 
assault,  and  were  driven  down  the  steep  lanes  and 
paths  with  great  slaughter. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE,  199 

But  those  who  fled  were  stopped  by  the  crowd  of 
tijtieir  own  men  pressing  up  the  hill  from  below,  and 
the  Roman  soldiers,  jammed,  as  it  were,  between  the 
Jews  above  and  their  own  countrymen  below,  took 
refuge  in  the  houses  in  great  numbers.  But  these 
were  not  constructed  to  bear  the  weight  of  so  many 
men  in  heavy  armor.  The  floors  fell  in,  and  as 
many  of  the  Romans  climbed  up  on  to  the  flat  roofs 
these  also  fell,  bringing  the  walls  down  with  them. 
Standing,  as  they  did,  almost  one  above  another, 
each  house  that  fell  brought  down  the  one  below  it, 
and  thus  the  ruin  spread  as  one  house  of  cards 
brings  down  another,  until  the  whole  of  the  town 
standing  on  the  steep  declivity  on  its  eastern  side 
was  a  mass  of  ruins. 

The  confusion  was  tremendous.  The  dust  of  the 
falling  houses  so  thickened  the  air  that  men  could 
not  see  a  yard  in  front  of  them.  Hundreds  of  the 
Roman  soldiers  were  buried  among  the  ruins. 
Some  were  killed  at  once ;  others,  jammed  between 
fallen  timbers,  strove  in  vain  to  extricate  them- 
selves, and  shouted  to  their  comrades  to  come  to 
their  assistance,  but  these,  enveloped  in  darkness, 
ignorant  of  the  ground,  half-suffocated  with  dust, 
were  powerless  to  aid  them. 

In  the  confusion  Romans  fell  by  the  swords  of 
Romans.  Many  who  could  not  extricate  themselves 
slew  themselves  with  their  own  swords ;  while  the 
exulting  Jews,  seeing  in  this  terrible  disaster  a 
miracle  effected  in  their  favor,  crowded  down  from 
above,  slaying  with  their  swords,  hurling  masses 


300  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

of  stoDe  down  on  the  foe,  killing  those  unable  to  re- 
treat, and  adding  to  the  confusion  and  terror  with 
their  yells  of  triumph,  which  rose  high  above  the 
confused  shouts  of  the  Romans. 

Yespasian  himself,  who  had  entered  the  town 
with  his  soldiers  and  had  pushed  forward  with  them 
up  the  hill,  was  nearly  involved  in  the  common  de- 
struction ;  but  as  the  houses  came  crashing  down 
around  him  he  shouted  loudly  to  the  soldiers  near 
to  gather  round  him,  and  to  lock  their  shields  to- 
gether to  form  a  testudo.  Recognizing  the  voice  of 
their  beloved  general,  the  soldiers  near  rallied  round 
him,  and,  sheltered  beneath  their  closely  packed 
shields,  resisted  the  storm  of  darts  and  stones  from 
above,  and  gradually  and  in  good  order  made  their 
way  down  over  the  ruins  and  issued  safely  from 
the  walls. 

The  loss  of  the  Romans  was  great.  The  soldiers 
were  greatly  dispirited  by  their  defeat,  and  espe- 
cially by  the  thought  that  they  had  deserted  their 
general  in  their  retreat.  Yespasian,  however,  was 
wise  enough  to  see  that  this  was  no  time  for  rebuke, 
and  he  accordingly  addressed  them  in  language  of 
approbation.  He  said  that  their  repulse  was  in  no 
way  due  to  want  of  valor  on  their  part,  but  to  an 
accident  such  as  none  could  foresee,  and  which  had 
been  brought  about  to  some  extent  by  their  too 
impetuous  ardor,  which  led  them  to  fight  rather 
with  the  desperate  fury  of  the  Jews  than  with  the 
steady  discipline  that  distinguished  Roman  soldiers. 

The  defenders  of  the  city  were  full  of  exultation 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  201 

at  their  success,  and  setting  to  work  with  ardor, 
soon  repaired  the  breaches  and  strengthened  the 
walls.  But  all  knew  that  in  spite  of  their  momen- 
tary success  their  position  was  desperate,  for  their 
provisions  were  almost  exhausted.  The  stores 
which  had  been  laid  up  were  very  large,  but  the 
siege  had  lasted  for  many  months  before  the  arrival 
of  the  Romans,  and  the  number  of  the  people  as- 
sembled within  the  walls  far  exceeded  the  usual 
population. 

The  Romans  on  their  part  increased  the  height 
of  their  embankment  and  prepared  for  a  second 
assault. 

In  the  mean  time  Itabyrium  had  fallen.  The  hill 
of  Tabor  was  inaccessible  except  on  the  north  side, 
and  the  level  area  on  the  top  was  surrounded  by  a 
strong  wall.  Placidus  had  been  sent  with  six  hun- 
dred horse  against  the  place,  but  the  hill  was  so 
steep  and  difficult  that  he  hesitated  to  attack  it. 
Each  party  pretended  to  be  anxious  to  treat,  each 
intending  to  take  advantage  of  the  other.  Placidus 
invited  the  garrison  to  descend  the  hill  and  discuss 
terras  with  him.  The  Itabyrians  accepted  the  in- 
vitation with  the  design  of  assailing  the  Romans 
unawares.  Placidus,  who  was  on  his  guard,  feigned 
a  retreat.  The  Itabyrians  boldly  pursued  on  to  the 
plain,  when  the  Roman  horse,  wheeling  round, 
dashed  among  them,  inflicting  terrible  slaughter 
and  cutting  off  their  retreat  toward  the  city.  Those 
who  escaped  the  slaughter  fled  to  Jerusalem.  The 
town,  weakened  by  the  loss  of  so  many  fighting 


202  ^OB  TEE  TEMPLE. 

men,  and  being  much  distressed  by  want  of  water, 
again  opened  negotiations,  and  surrendered  upon 
the  promise  that  the  lives  of  all  within  it  should  be 
spared. 

Hunger  was  now  doing  its  work  among  the  peo- 
ple of  Gamala.  The  inhabitants  suffered  terribly, 
for  the  provisions  were  all  taken  for  the  use  of  the 
fighting  men,  and  the  rest  had  to  subsist  as  best 
they  could  on  any  little  hoards  they  might  have 
liidden  away,  or  on  garbage  of  all  kinds.  I^umbers 
made  their  escape  through  the  sewers  and  passages 
which  led  intu  the  ravines,  wliere  the  Romans  had 
placed  no  guards.  Still  the  assaults  of  the  Romans 
were  bravel}'^  repelled,  until  on  the  night  of  the  22d 
of  September  two  soldiers  of  the  Fifteenth  Legion 
contrived  to  creep  unobserved  to  the  foot  of  one  of 
the  highest  towers  of  the  wall  and  began  silently 
to  undermine  its  foundations.  Before  morning: 
broke  they  had  got  in  so  far  that  they  could  not  be 
perceived  from  the  walls.  .Still  they  worked  in, 
leaving  a  few  stones  in  their  place  to  support  the 
tower  until  the  last  moment.  Then  they  struck 
these  away  and  ran  for  their  lives.  The  tower  fell 
with  a  terrible  crash,  with  the  guards  upon  it. 

In  their  terror  the  defenders  of  the  walls  leaped 
up  and  fled  in  all  directions,  and  many  were  killed 
by  the  Romans'  darts,  among  them  Josephus,  one 
of  their  two  leaders ;  while  Chares,  who  was  lying 
in  the  height  of  a  fever,  expired  from  the  excite- 
ment of  the  calamity.  The  confusion  in  the  town 
was  terrible.     Deprived  of  their  two  leaders,  and 


POB  THE  TEMPLE.  203 

with  the  town  open  to  assault,  none  knew  what  was 
to  be  done.  All  expected  instant  destruction,  and 
the  air  was  filled  with  the  screams  and  wailings  of 
the  women ;  but  the  Romans,  mindful  of  their  last 
repulse,  did  not  at  once  advance  to  the  assault. 
But  in  the  afternoon  Titus,  who  had  now  returned, 
taking  two  hundred  horse  and  a  force  of  infantry, 
crossed  the  breach  and  entered  the  town. 

Some  of  the  defenders  rushed  to  meet  him,  others, 
catching  up  their  children,  ran  Avith  their  wives  to 
the  citadel.  The  defenders  fought  bravely,  but 
were  driven  steadily  up  the  hill  by  the  Romans, 
who  were  now  reenforced  by  the  whole  strength  of 
the  army  led  by  Yespasian.  Quarter  was  neither 
asked  nor  given.  The  defenders  contested  every 
foot  of  the  hill,  until  the  last  defender  of  Gamala 
ou-tside  the  citadel  had  fallen. 

Then  Vespasian  led  his  men  against  the  citadel 
itself.  It  stood  on  a  rugged  rock  of  great  height 
offering  tremendous  difficulties  to  the  assailants. 
The  Jews  stood  upon  the  summit  rolling  down 
great  stones  and  darts  upon  the  Romans  as  they 
strove  to  ascend.  But  the  very  heavens  seemed  to 
fight  against  the  unfortunate  Jews,  for  a  terrific 
tempest  suddenly  broke  upon  the  city.  So  furious 
was  the  wind  that  the  Jews  could  no  longer  stand 
on  the  edge  of  the  crag,  or  oppose  the  progress  of 
the  enemy  ;  while  the  Romans,  sheltered  from  the 
wind  by  the  rock  itself,  were  able  to  press  upward. 
The  platform  once  gained,  they  rushed  upon  the 
Jews,  slaying  all  they  met,  men,  women,  and 
children. 


204  ^H  ^SE  TEMPLE. 

Yast  numbers  of  the  Jews  in  their  despair  threw 
themselves  headlong,  with  their  wives  and  children, 
over  the  precipices,  and  when  the  butchery  was 
complete  five  thousand  bodies  were  found  at  the 
foot  of  the  rocks ;  four  thousand  lay  dead  on  the 
platform  above.  Of  all  those  in  Gamala  when  the 
Romans  entered,  two  women  alone  escaped.  They 
were  the  sisters  of  Philip,  a  general  in  Agrippa's 
army.  They  managed  to  conceal  themselves  until 
the  carnage  was  over  and  the  fury  of  the  Romans 
had  subsided,  and  then  showed  themselves  and  pro- 
claimed who  they  were. 

Gischala  now  alone  of  the  cities  of  Galilee  defied 
the  Roman  arms.  The  people  themselves  were  for 
the  most  part  tillers  of  the  soil^  and  were  anxious  to 
make  their  submission ;  but  John,  the  rival  and 
bitter  enem}'^  of  Josephus,  with  the  robber  band  he 
had  collected,  was  master  of  the  town,  and  refused 
to  allow  any  talk  of  submission.  The  city  had  none 
of  the  natural  strength  of  Jotapata  and  Gamala, 
and  Vespasian  sent  Titus  against  it  with  a  thousand 
horse,  while  he  ordered  the  Tenth  Legion  to  take 
up  its  winter  quarters  at  Scythopolis,  and  himself 
moved  with  the  other  two  legions  to  Caesarea. 
Titus,  on  his  arrival  before  Gischala,  saw  that  the 
city  could  be  easily  taken  by  assault,  but  desirous 
of  avoiding  an}^  more  shedding  of  blood,  and  learn- 
ing that  the  inhabitants  were  desirous  of  surrender- 
ing, he  sent  an  officer  before  it  to  offer  terras  of 
capitulation. 

The   troops   of  John   of   Gischala    manned   tho 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  205 

walls;  and  when  the  summons  of  Titus  was  pro- 
claimed, John  answered  that  the  garrison  accepted 
willingly  the  generous  terras  that  were  offered,  but 
that  the  day  being  the  Sabbath,  nothing  could  be 
concluded  without  an  infringement  of  the  law  until 
the  next  day.  Titus  at  once  granted  the  delay  and 
drew  off  his  troops  to  a  neighboring  town.  In  the 
night  John  of  Gischala  marched  away  with  all  his 
armed  men,  followed  by  many  of  the  inhabitants 
with  their  wives  and  children,  fearing  to  remain  in 
the  city  exposed  to  the  anger  of  Titus,  when  he 
found  he  had  been  duped. 

The  women  and  children  soon  began  to  drop  be- 
hind; but  the  men  pressed  on,  leaving  the  helpless 
and  despairing  women  behind  them. 

In  the  morning  when  Titus  appeared  before  the 
town  it  opened  its  gates  to  him  at  once,  the  people 
hailing  him  as  their  deliverer  from  the  oppression 
they  had  so  long  suffered  at  the  hands  of  John  and 
his  bands  of  ruffians.  Titus  entered  Gischala  amid 
the  acclamations  of  the  people,  and  behaved  with 
great  moderation,  injuring  no  one  and  contenting 
himself  with  throwing  down  a  portion  of  the  walls, 
and  warning  the  inhabitants  that  if  they  again  rose 
in  rebellion  the  same  mercy  would  not  be  extended 
to  them.  He  had  at  once  dispatched  a  troop  of 
horse  in  pursuit  of  the  fugitives.  They  overtook 
them  and  slew  six  thousand  of  the  men,  and  brought 
three  thousand  women  and  children  back  into  the 
city.  John  himself  with  the  strongest  of  his  band 
were  not  overtaken,  but  made  their  way  to 
Jerusalem. 


306  ^R  TEE  TEMPLE. 

The  fame  of  the  successful  exploit  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Roman  camp  brought  large  numbers  of 
young  men  flocking  to  the  hills  as  soon  as  the 
Romans  retired  from  Gamala,  all  eager  to  join  the 
band,  and  John  could  have  recruited  his  numbers  to 
any  extent ;  but  now  that  all  Galilee  had  fallen,  and 
the  Romans  retired  to  their  winter  quarters,  he  did 
not  see  that  there  was  anything  to  be  done  until 
the  spring.  It  would  be  madness  to  attack  either 
of  the  great  Roman  camps  at  Sc^'^thopolis  or 
Csesarea ;  and  although  doubtless  the  garrisons  left 
in  Tiberias,  Tarichea,  and  other  towns  might  have 
been  driven  out,  this  would  only  have  brought  upon 
those  cities  the  anger  of  the  Romans,  and  involved 
them  in  ruin  and  destruction.     ' 

Still  less  would  it  have  been  of  any  advantage  to 
go  down  at  present  into  Judea.  That  province  was 
suffering  woes  as  great  as  the  Romans  could  inflict 
upon  it,  from  the  action  of  the  factions.  Under  the 
pretense  of  punishing  all  who  were  supposed  to  be 
favorable  to  making  terms  with  Rome,  bands  of 
armed  men  pervaded  the  whole  country,  plunder- 
ing and  slaying  the  wretched  inhabitants. 

Law  and  order  were  at  an  end.  Those  in  Jeru- 
salem who  claimed  for  themselves  the  chief 
authority  in  the  country  had  done  nothing  to  assist 
their  countrymen  in  the  north  in  their  struggle 
with  the  Romans.  Not  a  man  had  been  dispatched 
to  Galilee.  The  leaders  were  occupied  in  their  own 
desperate  feuds,  and  battles  took  place  in  the  streets 
of  the  city.  The  peaceful  inhabitants  were  plun- 
dered and  ill-treated,  and  the  condition   of   those 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  207 

within  the  walls  was  as  terrible  as  was  that  of  those 
without.  Anarch}'^,  plunder,  and  carnage  extended 
throughout  Judea,  and  while  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  was  threatened  by  the  Roman  army  in 
the  north,  the  Jews  made  no  preparation  whatever 
for  its  defense,  but  spent  their  whole  time  and 
energy  in  civil  strife,  "When,  therefore,  the  numerous 
band  who  had  now  gathered  round  him  urged  him 
to  lead  them  down  to  Jerusalem,  John  refused  to 
do  so.  Getting  upon  an  elevated  spot  where  his 
voice  could  be  heard  by  them  all,  he  said  : 

"  My  friends,  you  have  heard  as  well  as  I  what  is 
taking  place  in  Jerusalem  and  the  country  round  it. 
Did  we  go  down  there  what  good  could  we  do  'i  We 
should  be  drawn  into  the  strife  on  one  side  or 
another,  and  the  swords  which  should  be  kept  for 
the  defense  of  the  Temple  against  the  Romans 
would  be  stained  with  Jewish  blood.  Moreover,  we 
should  aid  to  consume  the  food  stored  away  in  the 
granaries.  Nor  can  we  through  the  winter  attempt 
any  enterprise  against  the  Romans  here.  The  woes 
of  Galilee  are  over.  Tens  of  thousands  have  fallen, 
but  those  that  surviv^e  can  go  about  their  business 
and  till  their  fields  in  peace.  Were  we  to  renew 
the  war  here  we  should  bring  upon  them  a  fresh 
outburst  of  the  Romaii  vengeance. 

"  Therefore  there  is  naught  for  us  to  do  now ;  but 
in  the  spring,  when  the  Romans  get  into  motion 
against  Jerusalem,  we  will  march  to  its  defense. 
We  have  naught  to  do  with  the  evil  deeds  that  are 
being  performed  there;  we  have  but  to  do  our 
duty  ;  and  the  first  duty  of  every  Jew  is  to  die,  if 


208  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

need  be,  in  the  defense  of  the  Temple.  Therefore 
let  us  now  disperse  to  oar  homes.  When  the  first 
news  comes  that  the  Romans  are  stirring,  those  of 
you  who  are  disposed  to  follow  me  and  obey  my 
orders  can  assemble  here. 

"  But  let  only  such  come ;  let  the  rest  make  their 
way  singl}''  to  Jerusalem.  I  am  resolved  to  have 
only  such  with  me  who  will  follow  me  as  one  man. 
You  know  how  the  factions  rage  in  the  city.  A 
compact  bod}'^  of  men,  true  to  themselves  and  their 
leader,  can  maintain  themselves  aloof  from  the 
strife  and  make  themselves  respected  by  both 
parties ;  but  single  men  must  take  sides  with  one 
faction  or  other,  or  be  ill-treated  by  both.  We  are 
wanted  at  home ;  the  fields  are  lying  untilled  for 
want  of  hands ;  therefore  let  us  lay  aside  our  arms 
until  the  spring,  and  do  our  duty  to  our  families 
until  we  are  called  upon  to  aid  in  the  defense  of  the 
Temple.  When  the  hour  comes  1  shall  be  ready  to 
lead  if  you  are  ready  to  follow." 

John's  address  received  general  approval,  and  the 
gathering  dispersed,  all  vowing  that  they  would 
assemble  in  the  spring  and  follow  John  wherever  he 
chose  to  lead  them,  for  he  was  already  regarded 
with  an  utmost  superstitious  admiration  in  the 
country  around.  His  deliverance  at  Jotapata,  and 
the  success  that  he  alone  of  the  Jewish  leaders  had 
gained  over  the  Romans,  marked  him  in  their  eyes 
as  one  specially  chosen  by  God  to  lead  them  to  vic- 
tory, and  in  a  few  hours  the  hill  above  Gamala  was 
deserted,  and  John  and  his  followers  were  all  on 
their  way  toward  their  homes. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  2C9 


CHAPTEE  X. 


CAPTIVES. 


John  was  received  with  great  joj  by  his  father, 
who  had  already  heard  the  story  brought  by  the 
injured  member  of  the  band  from  Gamala,  and  was 
filled  with  pride  that  his  son  should  so  have  distin- 
guished himself.  He  at  once  agreed  to  John's  pro- 
posal that  he  should  start  on  the  following  day  to 
fetch  the  women  from  ISTeve,  as  there  was  no  longer 
any  fear  of  trouble  from  the  Romans.  Galilee  was 
completely  subdued,  and  whatever  events  might 
take  place  in  Judea,  those  in  the  north  would  be  un- 
affected by  them. 

The  day  after  his  return,  then,  John  set  out  with 
Jonas  for  Neve.  John  charged  his  companion  on  no 
account  to  say  anything  of  their  doings  at  the  siege 
of  Gamala  ;  and  as  communication  was  difficult, 
and  they  had  not  heard  from  Simon  since  John  had 
left  him,  his  friends  at  Neve  were  not  aware  that 
he  had  been  absent  from  the  farm.  Martha  and 
Mary  were  delighted  to  see  him,  and  to  hear  that 
all  was  well  at  home.  They  had  been  greatly 
alarmed  at  the  news  of  the  slaughter  of  the  fisher- 
men on  the  lake,  fearing  that  John  might  have  gone 
across  to  Tarichea  with  some  of  his  friends  in  the 


210  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

village.  Their  fears  on  this  head,  however,  abated 
as  time  passed  on  and  they  did  not  hear  from 
Simon,  who,  they  felt  assured,  would  have  brought 
the  news  to  Martha  had  aught  happened  to  their 
son. 

They  had  mourned  over  the  siege  and  massacre 
of  Gamala,  and  had  been  filled  with  joy  when  the 
news  had  arrived  three  days  before  that  the  Roman 
army  had  marched  away  to  take  up  its  quarters  for 
the  winter,  and  they  had  looked  for  the  summons 
which  John  brought  for  their  return  home. 

"And  does  your  father  think,  John,  that  there 
will  be  trouble  again  in  the  spring?  Shall  we  have 
to  leave  home  again  as  soon  as  the  winter  is  past  ?" 

"  He  hopes  not,  mother.  Gamala  was  the  only 
town  on  this  side  of  the  Jordan  that  resisted  the 
Roman  authority,  and  as  all  the  territories  of 
Agrippa  are  now  peaceful  there  is  no  reason  why 
the  Romans  should  enter  these  again  ;  and,  indeed, 
all  Galilee  has  now  surrendered.  As  Yespasian 
moved  toward  the  sea  deputies  came  to  him  from 
every  town  and  village,  and  I  think  now  that  there 
will  be  no  more  trouble  there." 

"  It  has  been  terrible  enough,  ray  son.  What 
tens  of  thousands  of  men  have  perished,  what 
destruction  has  been  wrought !  We  have  been 
mourning  for  months  now  for  the  woes  which  have 
fallen  upon  our  people." 

"  It  has  been  most  terrible,  mother,  and  yet  it 
might  have  been  worse.  ISTigh  a  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  have  fallen  at  Gadara,  Jotapata,  Japha, 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  jH 

Tarichea,  and  Gamala,  besides  those  who  were  slain 
in  the  villages  that  had  been  sacked  and  destroyed. 
Still,  considering  all  things,  it  might  have  been 
worse  ;  and  were  it  all  over  now,  did  no  more  dan- 
gers threaten  our  nation,  we  might  even  rejoice  that 
no  greater  evils  have  befallen  us  for  our  revolt 
against  Rome;  but  what  has  been  done  is  but  a 
preparation  for  the  siege  of  Jerusalem.  However, 
do  not  let  us  begin  to  mourn  over  the  future ;  the 
storm  has  for  the  present  passed  away  from  us,  and 
whatever  misfortunes  have  befallen  our  countrymen 
we  have  happily  escaped.  The  farm  stands  unin- 
jured, and  no  harm  has  come  to  any  of  us." 

"  And  all  the  villagers  have  escaped,  John  ?  Did 
none  of  our  neighbors  go  out  in  their  boats  to 
Tarichea  ?  We  feared,  when  we  heard  of  the  sea- 
fight,  that  some  must  have  fallen." 

"  No,  mother.  Fortunately  they  listened  to  the 
counsels  of  my  father,  who  implored  them  not  to  put 
out  on  the  lake,  for  that  did  they  do  so  they  would 
only  bring  misfortune  and  ruin  upon  themselves." 

"  And  have  you  heard,  John,"  Mary  asked,  "any- 
thing of  the  champion  who  they  say  has  arisen  ? 
We  have  heard  all  sorts  of  tales  of  him — how  he 
harassed  the  Romans  before  Gamala  and  wnth  his 
followers  burned  their  camp  one  night  and  well- 
nigh  destroyed  them,  and  how  when  he  goes  into 
the  fight  the  Roman  javelins  drop  off  without  harm- 
ing him,  and  how  when  he  strikes  the  Romans  fall 
before  his  blows  like  wheat  before  a  sickle." 

John  burst  into  a  laugh. 


212  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

"  I  wonder,  Mary,  that  the  reports  didn't  say  also 
that  he  could  fly  through  the  air  when  he  chose, 
could  render  himself  invisible  to  the  enemy,  and 
could  by  a  wave  of  his  hand  destroy  them  as  the 
hosts  of  Sennacherib  were  destroyed.  The  Romans 
were  harassed  somewhat  at  Gamala  by  John  and 
his  followers,  who  crept  into  their  camp  at  night 
and  set  it  on  fire,  and  had  a  few  skirmishes*  with 
their  working  parties ;  but  when  you  have  said  that 
you  have  said  all  that  there  is  to  say  about  it." 

"  That  is  not  like  you,  John,"  Mary  said  indig- 
nantly, for  the  tales  that  had  circulated  through 
the  province  had  fired  her  imagination,  "  Every 
one  is  talking  of  what  he  has  done.  He  alone  of  all 
aur  leaders  has  checked  the  Homans,  and  has  shown 
wisdom  as  well  as  valor  in  fighting.  I  should  have 
thought  you  would  have  been  one  of  the  first  to 
praise  him.  Every  one  is  talking  about  him,  and 
since  we  heard  of  what  he  has  been  doing  mother 
and  I  pray  for  him  daily  as  we  pray  for  you  and 
your  father ;  and  now  you  want  to  make  out  he  has 
done  nothing." 

"  I  do  not  want  to  make  out  that  he  has  done 
nothing,  Marv,  for  doubtless  the  Lord  has  been  with 
him,  and  has  enabled  him  to  give  some  trouble  to 
the  Romans ;  but  I  was  laughing  at  the  fables  you 
have  heard  about  him,  and  at  the  reports  which 
had  converted  his  skirmishes  with  the  Romans  into 
all  sorts  of  marvelous  actions." 

"I  believe  they  were  marvelous  actions,"  Mary 
said ;  "  why  should  what  people  say  be  all  wrong? 
We  believe  in  him,  don't  we,  mother  2" 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  213 

"  Yes,  Mary.  It  is  true  that  the  tales  we  have 
heard  may  be,  as  John  says,  exaggerated,  but  as- 
suredl}'^  this  new  champion  of  our  people  must  be  a 
man  of  wisdom  and  valor,  and  I  see  not  why,  as 
God  raised  up  champions  for  Israel  in  the  old  time, 
he  should  not  do  so  now  when  our  need  is  so 
great." 

"There  is  no  reason,  mother,"  John  said  more 
quietly,  "  but  I  fear  that  the  champion  of  Israel  is 
not  yet  forthcoming.  We  have  heard  of  the  doings 
of  this  John,  and,  as  I  said,  he  has  merely  had  some 
skirmishes  with  the  Romans,  his  band  being  too 
small  to  admit  of  any  regular  fighting.  He  inter- 
rupted their  work  and  gave  them  some  trouble,  and 
his  men,  creeping  down  into  the  camp,  set  it  on  fire, 
and  so  caused  them  a  good  deal  of  loss ;  but  more 
than  this  cannot  be  said  of  him." 

"  At  any  rate,"  Mary  said  disdainfully,  "  he  has 
done  more  than  your  Josephus,  John,  for  he 
brought  ruin  on  all  who  took  his  advice  and  went 
into  the  cities  he  had  fortified.  It  may  please  you 
to  make  little  of  what  this  champion  has  done ; 
others  do  not  think  so.  Everywhere  he  is  talked 
of  and  praised — the  old  men  are  talking  of  him,  the 
Jewish  maidens  are  singing  songs  in  his  honor;  I 
heard  them  yesterday  gathered  round  a  well  near 
Neve.  His  father  must  rejoice  and  his  mother  be 
proud  of  him,  if  they  are  alive.  What  do  they  say 
down  by  the  lake,  Jonas,  of  this  captain?  Are  not 
the  tales  we  have  heard  believed  there?" 

"  I  have  heard  nothing  about  the  Roman  javelins 


214  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

not  harming  him,"  Jonas  said,  "  but  he  certainly 
got  safely  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Romans  when 
they  had  well-nigh  taken  him,  and  all  say  that  he 
is  brave  and  prudent,  and  men  have  great  confi- 
dence and  trust  in  him." 

"  Ridiculous,  Jonas !"  John  exclaimed  angrily, 
and  Mary  and  his  mother  looked  at  him  in  surprise. 

"  Truly,  John,"  his  mother  said,  "  what  Mary 
said  is  just.  This  is  not  like  you.  I  should  have 
thought  you  would  have  been  one  of  the  first  to 
admire  this  new  leader,  seeing  that  he  is  fighting  in 
the  way  I  have  heard  you  ad  vocate  as  being  that  in 
which  the  Romans  should  be  fought,  instead  of  the 
Jews  being  shut  up  in  the  cities." 

"  Quite  so,  mother  !  No  doubt  he  is  adopting  the 
proper  way  of  fighting,  and  therefore  has  naturally 
had  some  success.  I  am  only  saying  that  he  has 
done  nothing  wonderful,  but  has  given  the  Romans 
some  trouble  by  refusing  to  fight  and  by  merely  try- 
ing to  harass  them.  If  there  were  a  thousand  men 
who  would  gather  small  bands  together  and  harass 
the  Romans  night  and  day  in  the  same  manner, 
they  would  render  it  well-nigh  impossible  for  them 
to  make  any  progress.  As  it  was,  he  merel}'^  aided 
in  delaying  the  fall  of  Gamala  by  a  day  or  two. 
And  now  let  us  talk  cl  something  else.  Our  father 
has  succeeded  in  getting  in  the  principal  part  of  the 
harvest,  but  I  fear  that  this  year  you  will  be  short 
of  fruit.  We  have  had  no  time  to  gather  in  the 
figs,  and  thdy  have  all  fallen  from  the  trees,  and 
although  we  have  made  enough  wme  for  our  own 
use,  there  will  be  but  little  to  sell." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  215 

"  It  matters  not  at  all,"  Martha  said.  "  God  has 
been  very  merciful  toward  ns,  aud  so  that  we  have 
but  bread  to  eat  and  water  to  drink  until  next  har- 
vest we  shall  have  nothing  to  repine  about  when, 
ruin  and  destruction  have  fallen  upon  so  many." 

That  evening,  when  Mary  and  Martha  had  retired 
to  their  apartments,  the  former,  who  had  been  very 
silent  all  the  evening,  said  : 

"  I  cannot  understand,  mother,  why  John  speaks 
so  coldly  of  the  doings  of  this  brave  leader,  and  why 
he  was  almost  angry  at  our  praises  of  him  ;  it  seems 
altogether  unlike  him." 

"  It  is  unlike  him,  Mary  ;  but  you  must  never  be 
surprised  at  men  ;  they  do  not  like  to  hear  each 
other  praised  ;  and  though  I  should  have  thought, 
from  what  I  know  of  my  son,  that  he  was  above  the 
feeling  of  jealousy,  I  cannot  but  think  that  he 
showed  some  signs  of  that  feeling  to-day." 

"  But  it  seems  absurd,  mother.  I  can  understand 
John  being  jealous  of  any  one  his  own  age  who  sur- 
passed him  in  any  exercises,  though  I  never  saw  him 
so ;  for  when  in  rowing  on  the  lake,  or  in  shooting 
with  bows  and  arrows,  or  in  other  sports,  some  of 
our  neighbors'  sons  have  surpassed  him  he  never 
seemed  to  mind  at  all,  and  it  seems  almost  absurd 
to  think  that  he  could  be  jealous  of  a  great  leader 
who  has  done  brave  deeds  for  our  people." 

"  It  does  seem  so,  Mary,  and  I  wonder  myself ; 
but  it  has  been  ever  one  of  our  national  faults  to  be 
jealous  of  our  leaders.  From  the  time  the  people 
vexed  Moses  and  Aaron   in  the  wilderness  it  has 


^16  FOR  THE  TRMPLJt. 

ever  been  the  same.  I  grieve  to  see  it  in  John,  who 
has  distinguished  himself  greatly  for  his  age,  and  of 
whom  we  are  proud ;  but  no  one  is  perfect,  my 
child,  and  you  must  not  trouble  because  3'ou  find 
that  your  betrothed  husband  is  not  free  from  all 
weaknesses." 

"  I  don't  expect  him  to  be  free  from  all  weak- 
nesses, mother ;  but  this  is  one  of  the  last  weak- 
nesses I  should  have  expected  to  find  in  him,  and  it 
troubles  me.  When  everything  seemed  so  dark  it 
was  a  pleasure  to  think  that  a  hero,  perhaps  a  de- 
liverer, had  arisen;  and  now  John  seems  to  say 
that  he  has  done  nothing.'' 

"  My  dear  child,"  Martha  said,  "  something  may 
have  occurred  to  vex  John  on  the  way,  and  when 
men  are  put  out  they  will  often  show  it  in  the 
strangest  manner.  Probably  John  will  another 
time  speak  just  as  warmly  in  praise  of  our  new 
leader  as  you  would  yourself." 

"  Perhaps  it  may  be  so,  mother,"  Mary  assented. 
"  I  can  hardly  believe  that  John  is  jealous — it  does 
seem  so  unlike  himself." 

"  I  would  not  speak  on  the  subject  again,  Mary, 
if  I  were  you,  unless  he  himself  brings  it  up.  A 
wise  woman  keeps  silence  on  subjects  which  may 
lead  to  disagreement.  You  will  learn,  when  you 
have  married,  that  this  is  the  easiest  and  best 
way." 

"  I  suppose  so,  mother,"  Mary  said  in  a  tone  of 
disappointment ;  "  but  somehow  it  never  seemed  to 
me  before  that  John  and  I  could  have  any  subject  on 
which  there  would  be  disagreement." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 


217 


"  My  dear  Mar}^,"  Martha  said,  smiling,  "  John 
and  you  are  both  mortal ;  and  although  you  may 
truly  love  each  other,  and  will,  I  trust,  be  very 
happy  as  husband  and  wife,  subjects  will  occur  upon 
which  you  will  differ  ;  and  then,  as  you  know,  the 
wisest  plan  is  for  the  wife  to  be  silent.  It  is  the 
vrife's  duty  always  to  give  way  to  the  husband." 

Mary  gave  a  little  shrug  of  her  shoulders,  as  if  to 
intimate  that  she  did  not  regard  altogether  favor- 
ably this  view  of  a  wife's  duties ;  however,  she  said 
no  more,  but  kissed  Martha  and  retired  to  bed. 

The  next  morning  they  started  early,  and  jour- 
neyed to  Capitolias,  where  they  stayed  af  the  house 
of  some  friends.  In  the  evening  the  talk  again 
turned  upon  the  new  leader  who  had  burned  the 
Eoman  camp.  When  they  did  so  John  at  once 
made  some  excuse  and  went  out.  He  regretted 
now  that  he  had  not  at  once  told  his  mother  what 
he  had  been  doing.  He  had  intended,  in  the  first 
place,  to  give  her  a  little  surprise,  but  had  no  idea 
of  the  exaggerated  reports  that  had  been  spread 
about ;  and  when  Mary  broke  out  into  praise  of  the 
unknown  leader,  it  seemed  to  him  that  it  would 
have  been  absurd  to  say  that  he  himself  was  the 
person  of  whom  she  had  formed  so  fantastically 
exalted  an  opinion. 

Not  having  said  so  at  first,  he  did  not  see  how 
he  could  say  so  afterward,  and  so  left  the  matter  as 
it  stood  until  they  should  return  home. 

While  John  was  out  he  heard  news  which  caused 
him  some  uneasiness     It  was  said  that  parties  of 


218  ^OR  T3E  TEMPLE. 

Roman  horse  from  Scythopolis  had  been  scouring 
the  country,  burning  many  villages  under  the  pre- 
text that  some  Roman  soldiers  who  had  straggled 
away  marauding  on  their  own  account  had  been 
killed  by  the  peasants,  slaughtering  the  people,  and 
carrying  off  as  slaves  such  young  women  and  men 
as  were  likely  to  fetch  good  prices.  He  told  his 
mother  what  he  had  heard,  and  asked  her  whether 
she  did  not  think  that  it  would  be  better  to  stay 
where  they  were  for  a  time,  or  return  to  Keve. 
But  Martha  was  anxious  to  be  at  home  again  ;  and 
the  friend  with  whom  they  were  stopping  said  that 
these  reports  were  a  week  old,  and  that  doubtless 
the  Romans  had  returned  to  their  camp.  She 
determined,  therefore,  that'  she  and  Mary  would 
continue  their  journey,  but  that  the  maids  should 
remain  with  their  friend  at  Capitolias  until  the 
Roman  excursions  ceased. 

They  accordingly  set  out  in  the  morning  as  be- 
fore, the  two  women  riding,  and  John  and  Jonas 
walking  by  the  side  of  the  donkeys.  Following  the 
road  by  the  side  of  the  Hieromax,  they  kept  on 
without  meeting  anything  to  cause  alarm  until  they 
reached  the  angle  of  the  stream  where  the  road  to 
Hippos  branched  off  from  that  which  followed 
the  river  down  to  Tarichea.  They  had  gone  but 
a  short  distance  when  they  saw  a  cloud  of  dust 
rising  along  the  road  in  front  of  them  and  the 
sparkle  of  arms  in  the  sun. 

"  Turn  aside,  mother,"  John  exclaimed.  "  Those 
must  be  the  Romans  ahead." 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  219 

Turning  aside  they  rode  toward  some  gardens 
and  orchards  at  no  great  distance,  but  before  they 
reached  them  two  Roman  soldiers  separated  them- 
selves from  the  rest  and  galloped  after  them. 

"  Fly,  John  !"  Martha  said  hurriedly.  "  You  and 
Jonas  can  escape." 

*'  It  would  only  insure  evil  to  you  if  we  did, 
mother.     No ;  we  will  keep  together." 

The  Roman  soldiers  rode  up  and  roughly  ordered 
the  party  to  accompany  them  back  to  the  main 
body,  which  consisted  of  fifty  men.  The  leader,  a 
young  officer  whose  garments  and  armor  showed 
that  he  belonged  to  a  family  of  importance,  rode 
forward  a  few  paces  to  meet  them. 

"  Some  more  of  this  accursed  race  of  rebels !"  he 
exclaimed. 

"  "We  are  quiet  travelers,"  John  said,  "  journeying 
from  Capitolias  to  Tarichea.  We  have  harmed  no 
one,  my  lord." 

"You  are  all  the  same,"  the  Roman  replied, 
scowling  upon  them.  "  You  speak  us  fair  one  day, 
and  stab  us  in  the  back  the  next.  Pomponius," 
he  continued,  turning  to  a  sergeant,  "put  these 
two  lads  with  the  rest.  They  ought  to  fetch  a  good 
price,  for  they  are  strong  and  active.  As  to  the 
girl,  I  will  make  a  present  of  her  to  the  general  to 
send  to  his  wife  in  Rome.  She  is  the  prettiest 
Jewess  I  have  seen  since  I  entered  the  country. 
The  old  woman  can  go.  She  is  of  no  use  to  any 
one." 

Martha  threw  her  arms  round  Mary  and  would 


■220  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

have  striven  to  resist  with  her  feeble  strength  the 
carrying  out  of  the  order,  when  John  said  in 
Hebrew : 

"  Mother,  you  will  ruin  us  all  and  lose  your  own 
life !  Go  home  quietly,  and  trust  to  me  to  save 
Mary." 

The  habit  of  submitting  to  her  husband's  will 
which  Martha  had  practiced  all  her  life  asserted 
itself.  She  embraced  Mary  passionately,  and  drew 
aside  as  the  Roman  soldiers  approached,  and  then 
tottering  away  a  short  distance,  sank  weeping  on 
the  ground.  Mary  shed  no  tear,  but,  pale  as  death, 
walked  by  the  side  of  a  soldier,  who  led  her  to  the 
rear  of  the  cavalcade,  where  four  or  five  other 
young  women  were  standing  in  dejected  attitudes. 
John  and  Jonas  were  similarly  placed  with  some 
young  men  in  the  midst  of  the  Roman  soldiers. 
Their  hands  were  tied  behind  them,  and  the  troop 
resumed  its  way.  They  were  traveling  by  the  road 
along  which  the  little  party  had  just  come.  When- 
ever a  house  or  small  village  was  seen  half  of  the 
troop  galloped  off.  Flames  were  soon  seen  to  rise, 
and  parties  of  wretched  captives  w^ere  driven  in. 
When  about  half-way  to  Capitolias  the  troop 
halted.  The  horses  were  turned  into  a  field  of  ripe 
corn  to  feed ;  half  the  men  sat  down  to  a  meal, 
while  the  remainder  stood  on  guard  over  the  cap- 
tives. John  had  whispered  to  Jonas  to  work  his 
hands  so  as  to  loosen  his  cords,  if  possible ;  and  the 
lad,  whose  bones  were  very  small,  soon  said  that  he 
could  slip  the  ropes  off  without  diflBculty. 


Mary  and  the  Hebrew  Women  in  the  Hands  of  the  Romans.— Page  SSO. 


FOn  THE  TEMPLE.  221 

It  was  harder  work  for  John ;  and  indeed  while 
on  the  march  he  did  not  venture  to  exert  himself, 
fearing  that  the  movements  would  be  noticed  by  his 
guards.  But  when  thej""  halted  he  got  into  the 
middle  of  the  group  of  captives  and  tried  his  best  to 
loosen  the  cords,     Jonas  was  close  beside  Lira. 

"  It  is  of  no  use,  Jonas,"  he  said.  "  The  cords 
are  cutting  into  my  flesh,  and  they  will  not  yield 
in  the  slightest." 

"  Let  me  try,  John.  Stand  round  close,"  Jonas 
said  to  the  other  captives  in  Hebrew.  "  I  want  to 
loosen  my  friend's  knots.  If  he  can  get  away  he 
will  bring  rescue  to  you  all." 

The  others  moved  so  as  to  completely  cover  the 
movements  of  Jonas ;  and  the  lad,  stooping  down, 
applied  his  teeth  to  the  knot  in  John's  cords,  and 
soon  succeeded  in  loosening  it. 

"  That  will  be  enough,  Jonas.  I  can  draw  my 
hand  through  now." 

Jonas  again  stood  up. 

"  When  I  make  an  effort  to  escape,  Jonas,  do  you 
dash  between  the  horsemen  and  run  for  it.  In  the 
confusion  you  will  get  a  start,  and  they  will  not 
overtake  you  until  you  are  across  the  river.  Once 
on  the  hill  you  are  safe.  If  you  remain  behind  and 
I  get  away,  as  likely  as  not  one  of  the  soldiers  would 
send  a  javelin  through  you,  as  being  my  companion." 

After  half  an  hour's  halt  the  Komans  again 
mounted  their  horses  and  turned  to  retrace  their 
steps. 

Two  Romans  rode  on  either  side  of  the  captives, 


222  Jf^B  TEE  TEMPLE. 

who  were  about  fifty  in  number  ;  and  John  gradu- 
ally made  his  way  to  the  front  of  the  party  between 
the  two  leading  horsemen.  The  ofiioer,  talking  to 
his  sergeant,  rode  a  few  paces  ahead  in  the  middle 
of  the  road.  Since  the  cords  had  been  loosened 
John  had  continued  to  work  his  fingers  until  the 
circulation  was  restored.  Suddenly  he  slipped  his 
hands  from  their  fastenings,  gave  three  bounds  for- 
ward, and  vaulted  on  to  the  back  of  the  horse  be- 
hind the  officer.  He  had  drawn  the  knife  which 
had  been  hidden  in  his  girdle,  and  he  threw  one  arm 
round  the  officer,  while  he  struck  the  knife  deep 
into  the  horse's  flank.  The  animal  reared  in  the 
air,  and  then,  at  a  second  application  of  the  knife^ 
sprang  forward  at  the  top  of  His  speed  before  the 
astonished  Boman  knew  what  had  happened. 

John  held  him  in  his  arms  like  a  vise,  and,  exert- 
ing all  his  strength,  lifted  him  from  the  saddle  and 
hurled  him  headlong  to  the  ground,  where  he  lay 
bleeding  and  insensible.  John  had  now  time  to 
look  round.  Struck  with  astonishment  at  the  sud- 
den incident  which  had  passed  under  their  eyes,  the 
Romans  had  at  first  instinctively  reined  in  their 
horses.  The  sergeant  had  been  the  first  to  recover 
himself,  and,  shouting  to  the  five  leading  soldiers  on 
each  side  to  f  3II0W  him,  had  spurred  in  pursuit  just 
as  his  officer  was  hurled  to  the  ground.  But  John 
was  already  some  fifty  yards  away,  and  felt  sure 
that  he  could  not  be  overtaken. 

He  had  remarked  the  horse  ridden  by  the  officer 
while  they  were  eating,  and  saw  that  it  was  of  far 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  223 

higher  blood  and  swifter  pace  than  any  of  those 
ridden  by  the  soldiers.  His  own  weight,  too,  was 
far  less  than  that  of  the  heavy-armed  men  in  pur- 
suit of  him  ;  and  with  a  shout  of  scornful  defiance 
and  a  wave  of  his  hand  he  continued  his  course. 
Before  a  mile  had  been  passed  he  had  left  his  pur- 
suers far  in  the  rear,  and,  seeing  the  hopelessness  of 
the  pursuit,  they  presently  reined  up  and  returned 
to  the  main  body.  Jonas  had  carried  out  John's 
instructions,  and  the  instant  the  latter  sprang  on  the 
officer  he  slipped  under  the  belly  of  the  horse  next 
to  him  and  ran  at  the  top  of  his  speed  for  the  river. 

It  was  but  a  hundred  yards  away,  and  he  had 
gone  three-quarters  the  distance  before  any  of  the 
soldiers,  confused  at  the  attack  upon  their  offi- 
cer, doubtful  whether  the  whole  of  the  captives  were 
not  about  to  fall  upon  them,  and  without  orders 
how  to  act,  set  out  in  pursuit.  Jonas  plunged  into 
the  stream,  dived  to  the  other  side,  and  then  sprang 
forward  again,  just  as  three  or  four  soldiers  reached 
the  bank  he  had  left.  Their  javelins  were  hurled 
after  him,  but  without  effect,  and  with  a  shout  of 
triumph  he  sprang  up  the  hillside,  and  was  soon  safe 
from  pursuit. 

As  soon  as  he  saw  that  the  Romans  had  turned 
back,  John  sprang  from  his  horse,  unstrapped  the 
heavy  armor  which  covered  its  chest  and  sides,  and 
flung  it  away,  and  then  mounting,  resumed  his 
course.  At  the  first  house  he  came  to  he  borrowed 
a  shepherd's  horn,  and  as  he  approached  the  first 
village  sounded  his  signal  for  the  assembly. 


224  POR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Two  or  three  young  men  ran  out  from  their 
houses  as  he  dashed  up,  for  there  was  not  a  village 
in  those  parts  from  which  some  of  the  young  men 
had  not  gone  up  to  the  mountains  to  join  him  after 
the  fall  of  Gamala,  and  all  were  ready  to  follow 
him  anywhere.  He  rapidly  gave  them  orders  to  go 
to  all  the  villages  round,  and  instruct  the  young 
men  to  assemble  with  all  speed  possible  at  their  old 
trysting-place  near  Jabez  Galaad,  and  to  spread  the 
news  as  they  went,  some  from  each  village  being 
sent  as  messengers  to  others.  Then  he  pursued  his 
way  at  full  speed,  and  by  sunset  had  issued  his 
orders  in  some  twenty  villages.  Being  convinced 
that  by  night  a  sufficient  number  of  men  would 
have  gathered  in  the  mountain  for  his  purpose,  he 
rode  back  to  the  river,  swam  his  horse  across,  and 
then  leaving  it  to  shift  for  itself,  made  his  way  up 
the  mountain. 

Some  seventy  or  eighty  men  had  already  arrived 
at  the  appointed  place,  and  fresh  parties  were 
coming  in  every  minute.  Jonas  was  already  there, 
John  having  arranged  with  him  to  watch  the  move- 
ments of  the  Romans  until  the  sun  set,  and  then  to 
bring  word  to  the  place  of  meeting  as  to  their  move- 
ments. 

"  Well,  Jonas,  what  is  your  news  ?" 

"  The  Romans  have  halted  for  the  night  at  a  spot 
about  a  mile  this  side  of  where  we  left  them.  They 
remained  where  they  were  until  the  party  who  had 
ridden  after  you  returned,  then  they  went  slowly 
back,  after  having  made  a  litter  with  their  spears, 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  225 

on  which  four  of  them  carried  the  officer  you  threw 
from  his  horse — what  a  crash  he  made !  I  heard 
the  clang  of  his  arras  as  I  was  running.  They 
stopped  near  one  of  the  villages  they  burned  as  we 
went  past,  and  when  I  turned  to  make  ray  wav  here 
their  fires  were  burning,  so  there's  no  doubt  they 
mean  to  halt  there  for  the  nig-ht," 

"  That  is  good  news,  indeed  !"  John  said.  "  Be- 
fore morning  we  will  rouse  them  up  in  a  way  they 
little  expect." 

John's  followers  arrived  eager  for  the  fight,  for 
the  news  of  the  devastations  committed  by  this 
party  of  Romans  had  roused  the  whole  district  to 
fury.  As  a  rule  the  Romans,  except  when  actually 
on  a  campaign,  abstained  from  all  ill-treatment  of 
the  inhabitants,  the  orders  against  plundering  and 
injuring  the  people  being  here,  as  in  other  countries 
held  by  the  Roman  arms,  very  stringent.  In  the 
present  case  there  was  no  doubt  that  Roman  sol- 
diers had  been  killed,  but  these  had  brought  their 
fate  upon  themselves  by  their  ill-treatment  and  in- 
sult of  the  villagers  ;  and  no  notice  would  have 
been  taken  of  the  slaying  of  men  while  acting  in 
disobedience  of  orders,  had  it  not  been  that  they 
belonged  to  the  company  of  Ser villus  Maro.  He 
was  a  young  noble,  possessed  of  great  influence  in 
Rome,  and  of  a  ferocious  and  cruel  disposition,  and 
he  had  urged  the  general  so  strongly  to  allow  him 
to  go  out  to  inflict  punishment  upon  the  country 
people  that  consent  had  reluctantly  been  given. 
But  even  at  this  tirae,  although  the  Jews  were  not 


226  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

aware  of  it,  a  messenger  was  on  his  way  to  Servilius 
with  peremptory  orders  to  him  to  return  at  once  to 
Scythopolis,  as  most  serious  reports  as  to  his 
cruelty  to  peaceful  inhabitants  had  come  to  the  gen- 
eral's ears. 

But  that  message  Servilius  was  never  to  receive. 
By  midnight  upward  of  four  hundred  men  had 
gathered  at  the  rendezvous  in  the  mountains.  John 
divided  the  force  into  four  bodies,  and  gave  each 
their  orders  as  to  the  part  that  they  were  to  take, 
and  then  marched  down  the  hill,  crossed  the  river, 
and  advanced  toward  the  Roman  bivouac. 

When  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  fires  the 
band  broke  up  into  sections,  and  proceeded  to  sur- 
round the  enemy.  When  each  company  reached 
the  position  John  had  marked  out  for  it  the  men 
began  to  crawl  slowly  forward  toward  the  Romans. 
John  sounded  a  note  on  his  horn,  and  with  a  shout 
the  whole  band  rushed  to  their  feet  and  charged 
down  upon  the  enemy.  Before  the  latter  could 
spring  to  their  feet  and  mount  their  horses  the  Jews 
were  among  them. 

John,  with  a  picked  band  of  twenty  men,  at  once 
made  his  way  to  the  center  of  the  camp,  where  the 
captives,  ignorant  of  the  cause  of  this  sudden  alarm, 
stood  huddled  together.  Placing  his  men  around 
them  to  prevent  any  Roman  soldier  injuring  them, 
John  joined  in  the  fray.  It  was  short.  Taken  by 
surprise,  unable  to  get  together  and  form  in  order 
of  defense,  the  Roman  soldiers  were  surrounded  and 
cut  down,  each  man  fighting  stubbornly  to  the  last. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLB.  ^1^1 

One  of  the  first  to  fall  was  their  leader,  who,  spring- 
ing to  his  feet  at  the  alarm,  had  rushed  just  as  he 
was,  without  helmet  or  armor,  among  his  soldiers, 
and  was  stabbed  in  a  dozen  places  before  he  had 
time  to  draw  his  sword.  The  moment  the  conflict 
was  over,  and  the  last  Roman  had  fallen,  John 
ordered  his  men  to  disperse  at  once. 

"  Regain  your  homes  before  morning,"  he  said  ; 
"  there  may  be  other  parties  of  Romans  out,  and  it 
is  as  well  that  none,  even  of  your  friends,  should  see 
you  return,  and  then  the  Romans  will  have  no  clew 
as  to  those  who  have  taken  part  in  this  night's 
business.  Take  not  any  of  their  arms  or  spoils. 
We  have  fought  for  vengeance  and  to  relieve  our 
friends,  not  for  plunder.  It  is  well  that  the  Romans 
should  see  that,  when  they  hear  of  the  disaster  and 
march  out  to  bury  the  dead." 

The  men  were  already  crowding  round  the  cap- 
tives, relieving  them  from  their  bonds,  and  m  many 
cases  embracing  and  weeping  on  their  necks,  for 
among  them  were  many  friends  and  relations  of  the 
rescuing  party. 

John  soon  found  Mary. 

"Is  this  a  miracle  you  have  performed,  John  ?" 
the  girl  said.  "  Can  it  be  true  that  our  captors  have 
been  slain,  and  that  we  are  free  ?" 

"  Yes,  dear,  we  can  continue  our  journey." 

"But  how  has  it  happened,  John — how  has  it  all 
come  about  ?" 

"  Jonas  and  I  escaped,  as  I  suppose  you  know, 
Mary." 


228  ^^-B  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  There  was  a  great  confusion  and  stir  upon  the 
road,"  Mary  said,  "  but  I  did  not  know  what  had 
happened  until  we  got  here.  Then  some  of  the  men 
said  that  two  of  the  captives  had  escaped,  and  that 
one  of  them  jumped  on  to  the  horse  of  the  officer 
and  overthrew  him,  and  had  ridden  off.  They  said 
the}'^  were  both  young ;  and  as  1  missed  you  both 
from  among  the  party  I  thought  it  must  have  been 
you.     But  how  did  all  these  men  come  together  ?" 

"I  rode  round  the  country,  calling  upon  the 
young  men  in  the  villages  to  take  up  arms  to  rescue 
their  friends  who  had  been  carried  away  captive 
into  slavery,  and  to  revenge  the  destruction  which 
this  band  of  ruffians  had  caused.  There  were  plenty 
of  brave  men  ready  to  undertake  the  task,  and,  as 
you  see,  we  have  carried  it  out.  And  now,  Mary, 
we  had  best  be  going.  You  see  the  others  are  dis- 
persing fast,  and  it  is  as  well  to  be  as  far  from  here 
■by  morning  as  possible.  A  troop  of  Roman  horse 
may  come  along,  journeying  between  Scythopolis 
and  Capitolias,  and  if  they  came  upon  this  camp 
the}'^  might  scour  all  the  country." 

"  I  am  ready,  John.  What  a  fate  you  have  saved 
me  from  !  I  have  seemed  in  a  dream  ever  since  the 
Romans  met  us  this  afternoon.  I  have  tried  to 
think  of  what  my  life  was  going  to  be,  but  could 
not.  When  we  got  here  I  tried  to  weep,  but  no 
tears  would  come.  I  have  been  sitting  there  as 
still  and  cold  as  if  frozen,  till  I  heard  the  notes  of  a 
horn.  Oh,  John,  do  you  know  John  of  Gamala 
was  there  ?" 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  229 

"  How  do  you  know,  Mary  V  John  asked  in  sur-. 
prise. 

"  One  of  the  young  men,  who  was  a  captive,  was 
lying  near,  and  he  leaped  to  his  feet  when  the  horn 
sounded,  and  shouted,  '  There  is  John  of  Gamala's 
horn  ;  we  are  saved.'  Did  you  know  he  was  with 
you?" 

"  Yes,  I  knew  he  was,"  John  said. 

"Tou  won't  say  anything  against  him  again," 
Mary  said.  "  Why  did  you  not  bring  him  here  to 
us  that  we  might  thank  him  ?" 

"  Certainly  I  will  not  say  anything  against  him 
in  future,  Mary.  And  now  let  us  be  going.  I  am 
very  anxious  about  ray  poor  mother.  We  will  fol- 
low the  road  to  the  spot  where  we  left  her.  By  the 
time  we  get  there  morning  will  be  breaking.  We 
"will  inquire  for  her  at  every  village  we  pass  through, 
for  I  am  sure  she  cannot  have  gone  far.  The 
Romans  did  not  take  the  asses,  but  even  with  them 
she  could  not  have  traveled  far,  and  probably  took 
shelter  at  the  first  place  which  she  came  to." 

This  proved  to  be  the  case.  At  the  first  village 
they  arrived  at,  after  passing  the  spot  at  which  they 
had  been  taken  captives,  they  heard  that  late  the 
evening  before  a  woman  had  arrived  in  sore  dis- 
tress.  She  was  leading  two  asses,  which  she  seemed 
too  feeble  to  mount.  She  stated  that  her  son  and 
daughter  had  been  carried  away  by  the  Romans, 
and  she  had  been  received  for  the  night  in  the  prin- 
cipal house  in  the  village. 

Martha's  delight  when  John  and  Mary  entered 


230  fOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

the  house  where  she  had  been  sheltered  was  beyond 
words.  She  fell  on  their  necks  and  kissed  them, 
with  broken  sentences  of  thankfulness  to  God  at 
their  deliverance,  and  it  was  some  time  before  she 
was  sufficiently  calm  to  hear  how  their  escape  had 
been  effected  by  the  night  attack  upon  the  Romans 
by  the  country  people.  She  was  scarcely  surprised 
when  she  heard  that  John  had  effected  his  escape, 
and  summoned  the  people  to  rise  to  rescue  them. 

"  You  told  me  to  trust  to  you  to  save  Mary,  John, 
and  I  have  kept  on  saying  your  words  over  and 
over  again  to  myself.  It  seemed  to  me  as  if  I  did 
not  quite  understand  them,  and  yQt  there  was  com- 
fort in  them.  1  could  not  even  think  what  you 
could  do  to  help  Mary,  and  yet  it  appeared  as  if  you 
yourself  must  have  some  hope." 

As  soon  as  Martha  was  sufficiently  recovered 
from  her  emotions  to  resume  their  journey  the 
part}^  again  started.  They  made  a  detour  to  avoid 
Hippos,  for,  as  John  said,  there  might  be  inquiries 
as  to  every  one  who  was  noticed  coming  from  the 
direction  of  the  scene  of  the  struggle.  They  made 
many  halts  by  the  way,  for  Martha  was  scarcel}'^ 
able  to  retain  her  seat  on  the  donkey,  and  even 
Mary  was  greatly  shaken  by  the  event  of  her  cap- 
tivity and  rescue.  During  the  heat  of  the  day  they 
remained  under  the  shade  of  some  trees,  and  the 
sun  was  setting  when  they  approached  the  farm. 
Simon  and  the  men  hurried  out  when  the  sound  of 
the  asses'  feet  was  heard.  Martha  burst  into  tears 
as  he  assisted  her  to  alight. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  231 

"  What  ails  you,  wife  ?  I  trust  that  no  evil  has 
befallen  you  by  the  way.  Where  are  the  maids  ? 
Why,  Mary,  my  child,  you  look  pale  too !" 

"  No  wonder,  uncle,  that  aunt  is  shaken,  and  tha* 
I  look  pale.  For  John  and  I  and  Jonas  were  taken 
captives  by  the  Eomans,  who  carried  us  off  to  sell 
as  slaves,  leaving  poor  mother  behind." 

"  And  how  then  have  you  escaped,  child  ?" 

"  John  and  Jonas  got  away  from  them,  and  raised 
all  the  country ;  for  the  Romans  had  done  much 
harm  killing  and  carrying  away  captives  and  burn- 
ing. So  when  he  called  them  the  men  took  up 
arms  and  fell  upon  the  Romans  at  night  and  slew 
them  all,  and  rescued  me  and  some  fifty  other  cap- 
tives who  had  fallen  into  their  hands." 

Simon  asked  no  further  questions  for  the  time,  but 
helped  Martha  into  the  house,  and  then  handed  her 
over  to  the  care  of  Mary,  and  half  an  hour  later  she 
had  recovered  sufficiently  to  return  to  the  room, 
and  sit  there  holding  Simon's  hand  in  quiet  hap- 
piness, and  watching  Mary  as  she  resumed  her 
accustomed  tasks  and  assisted  old  Isaac  in  prepar- 
mg  supper. 

"  Everything  looks  just  as  it  was,  mother.  I 
could  hardly  have  believed  things  would  have  got 
on  so  well  without  me  to  look  after  them.  And 
there  are  quantities  of  grapes  on  the  vines  still; 
they  are  too  ripe  for  wine,  but  they  will  last  us  for 
eating  for  months,  and  that  is  ever  so  much  better 
than  making  them  into  wine " 

She  stopped,  for  Simon  had  taken  his  place  at  the 


232  FOB  TEE  TEMPLE. 

head  of  the  table,  and  offered  up  thanks  in  the 
name  of  the  whole  household  for  the  mercies  that 
had  been  vouchsafed  to  them,  and  especially  that 
they  were  all  once  again  assembled  together  in 
their  house  without  there  being  one  vacant  place. 
Then  the  meal  began.  While  it  was  eaten  many 
questions,  were  asked  on  both  sides  ;  Simon  inquir- 
ing about  his  brother-in-law  and  his  family  and  the 
life  they  had  led  at  the  farm,  Martha  asking  after 
their  neighbors,  who  had  suffered  and  who  had 
escaped  without  loss  or  harm.  When  Isaac  and  the 
men  retired  Jonas  rose  also  to  go,  but  Simon  stopped 
him. 

"Remain  with  us,  Jonas.  Your  life  has  been 
strangely  cast  in  that  of  John's,  and  I  would  that 
henceforth  you  take  your  place  as  one  of  the  family. 
You  saved  his  life  at  Jotapata,  and  you  will  hence- 
forth be  as  an  adopted  son  to  me.  Martha,  I  know 
that  you  will  spare  some  of  your  affection  for  the 
lad  who  is  as  a  younger  brother  to  John,  and  who 
would,  I  believe,  nay,  I  feel  sure,  if  need  be,  give 
his  life  for  his  friend." 

"  I  would  do  so,  indeed,"  Jonas  said  simply.  "  He 
found  me  an  outcast  whom  none  cared  for,  he  has 
treated  me  like  a  brother,  and  I  would  gladly  die 
for  him." 

Martha  said  a  few  kind  words  to  Jonas,  whose 
quiet  and  somewhat  subdued  manner,  and  whose 
evident  affection  for  John,  had  greatly  pleased  her, 
and  Mary  gave  him  a  little  nod,  which  signified 
that  she  gladly  accepted  him  as  one  of  the  family. 


FOB  THE  TBMPLB.  233 

"  And  now,  Martha,"  Simon  said,  "  you  have  not 
yet  told  me  how  proud  you  must  feel  in  the  doings 
of  our  son.  Our  friends  here  are  never  weary  of 
congratulating  me,  and  truly  I  feel  thankful  that  a 
son  of  mine  should  have  done  such  deeds,  and  that 
the  Lord  should  have  chosen  him  to  use  him  as  an 
instrument  of  his  will." 

"My  dear  father,"  John  interrupted,  "I  have 
told  you  that  there  is  nothing  at  all  out  of  the  way 
in  what  we  have  done.  Jonas  and  the  others  did 
just  as  much  as  I  did,  and  methinks  that  some  of 
them  make  much  more  than  is  needful  of  oxxt 
skirmishes,  and  praise  me  because  in  so  doing  they 
praise  themselves,  who  did  as  much  as  I  did." 

"  But  I  do  not  understand  you,  Simon,"  Martha 
said.  "  I  know  that  John  fought  bravely  at  Jota- 
pata,  and  that  it  was  marvelous  that  he  and  Jona? 
escaped  when  so  many  fell.  Is  it  this  that  you  art- 
speaking  of  ?" 

"  What !  has  John  said  nothing  about  what  ho 
has  been  doing  since  ?"  Simon  asked  in  surprise. 

"Ko,  father,  I  said  nothing  about  it,"  John  said 
before  his  mother  could  speak.  "  I  thought^  in  the 
first  place,  that  you  would  like  to  tell  them^  and,  in 
the  next,  the  people  there  had  heard  such  magni- 
fied reports  that  I  could  not  for  very  shame  lay 
claim  to  be  the  hero  they  had  pictured  to  them- 
selves." 

"  But  what  has  he  done  ?"  Martha  aaked  more 
and  more  surprised ;  while  Mary  at  his  last  word» 
sprang  to  her  feet  and  stood  looking  at  him  wit 
an  intent  and  eager  face. 


234  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  He  should  have  told  you,  Martha,"  Simon  said. 
"  It  is  no  light  thing  that  this  son  of  ours  has  done. 
Young  as  he  is  the  eyes  of  the  people  are  upon 
them.  For  with  a  small  band  which  he  gathered 
here  he  harassed  the  enemy  several  days,  and  boldly 
entering  their  camp  destroyed  it  by  fire." 

"  Oh,  John !"  Mary  said  in  a  low  voice ;  while 
Martha  exclaimed : 

"What!  is  the  John  of  whom  we  have  heard  so 
much,  the  young  man  of  whom  the  people  speak  as 
their  future  leader,  our  boy  ?  You  cannot  mean  it, 
Simon  1" 

"  There  is  no  mistake  about  it,  Martha.  The  lad 
came  to  me  and  said  he  thought  that  with  a  small 
band  he  could  cause  much  trouble  to  the  Romans ; 
so  I  told  him  he  could  go,  not  knowing  whether  he 
spoke  from  the  restlessness  of  youth,  or  because  it 
was  the  will  of  the  Lord  that  he  should  go  and  fight 
for  the  country;  indeed,  it  seemed  to  many  that  his 
marvelous  escape  from  Jotapata  showed  that  God 
had  need  of  him.  So  I  did  not  withstand  him. 
There  were  many  from  the  villages  round  who  were 
ready  to  join  themselves  to  him  and  follow  him,  for 
the  fame  of  his  escape  had  made  him  much  talked 
of.  So  he  went  with  twenty -four  followers,  and,  of 
course,  Jonas  here;  and  truly  he  did,  as  all  men 
say,  great  things.  And  though  he  saved  not 
Gamala,  as  indeed  could  not  have  been  done  save 
by  a  miracle  of  God,  with  so  small  a  band,  he  did 
much,  and  by  the  burning  of  their  camp  not  only 
struck  a  heavy  blow  upon  the  Romans,  but  he  in- 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  235 

spired  the  people  with  hope.  Before,  it  seemed  that 
to  resist  the  Romans  was  to  bring  certain  destruc- 
tion upon  those  who  ventured  it ;  now  men  see 
that  with  prudence,  united  with  braver}'^,  much 
may  be  done,  and  in  the  spring  John  will  be  fol- 
lowed by  a  great  gathering  of  fighting  men  from 
all  the  country  round." 

Martha  sat  in  speechless  surprise  looking  at  her 
son. 

"  My  dear  mother,"  John  said,  "  what  I  told  you 
before  when  you  were  praising  the  unknown  John 
is  equally  true  now  that  it  is  John  your  son.  We 
acted  with  common  sense,  which  so  far  no  one  seems 
to  have  exercised  in  our  struggle  with  the  Romans. 
We  just  kept  out  of  their  reach,  and  took  good  care 
never  to  come  to  actual  blows  with  them.  We  con- 
stantly threatened  them,  and  compelled  them,  who 
knew  nothing  of  our  numbers  or  strength,  to  cease 
working.  As  to  the  burning  their  camp,  of  course 
there  was  a  certain  amount  of  danger  in  it,  but  one 
cannot  make  war  without  danger.  We  crept 
through  their  sentries  into  the  camp  in  the  night 
and  set  it  on  fire,  and  then  made  our  escape  as  best 
we  could. 

"  As  only  one  of  our  number  was  killed,  and  he 
from  falling  over  a  precipice  and  not  by  the  sword 
of  the  Romans,  you  see  the  peril  could  not  have 
been  very  great.  It  was  just  as  I  said,  that  because 
we  did  not  throw  away  our  lives,  but  were  prudent 
and  cautious,  we  succeeded.  People  have  made  a 
great  fuss  about  it  because  it  is  the  only  success, 


5J36  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

however  small,  that  we  have  gained  over  the  Ro- 
mans ;  but,  as  my  father  says,  it  has  certainly  had  a 
good  effect.  It  has  excited  a  feeling  of  hopefulness, 
and  in  the  spring  many  will  take  the  field  with  the 
belief  that  after  all  the  Romans  are  not  invincible, 
and  that  those  who  fight  against  them  are  not 
merely  throwing  away  their  lives." 

It  was  some  time  before  Martha  could  realize  that 
the  hero  of  which  she  had  heard  so  much  was  the 
quiet  lad  standing  before  her — her  own  son  John. 

"  Simon,"  she  said  at  last,  "  morning  and  night  I 
have  prayed  God  to  protect  him  of  whom  we  heard 
so  much,  little  thinking  that  it  was  my  own  son  I 
was  praying  for.  To-night  I  will  thank  him  that 
he  has  so  blessed  me.  Assui;edly  God's  hand  is 
with  him.  The  dangers  he  has  run  and  the  success 
that  he  has  gained  may,  as  he  says,  be  magnified  by 
report ;  nevertheless  he  has  assuredly  withstood  the 
Romans,  even  as  David  went  out  against  Goliath. 
To-morrow  I  will  hear  more  of  this ;  but  I  feel 
shaken  with  the  journey  and  with  this  strange 
news.  Come,  Mary,  let  us  to  bed !"  But  Mary 
had  already  stolen  away,  without  having  said  a 
single  word  after  her  first  exclamation. 

John  was  at  work  soon  after  daybreak  next 
morning,  for  there  was  much  to  be  done.  The  men 
were  plowing  up  the  stubble  ready  for  the  sowing, 
Jonas  had  gone  off  with  Isaac  to  drive  in  some 
cattle  from  the  hills,  and  John  set  to  work  to  dig 
up  a  patch  of  garden  ground  near  the  house.  He 
had  not  been  long  at  work  when  he  saw  Mary  ap- 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  337 

preaching.  She  came  along  quietly  and  slowly, 
with  a  step  altogether  unlike  her  own. 

"  Why,  Mary,  is  that  you  ?"  he  said  as  she  ap- 
proached. "  Why,  Miriam  herself  could  not  walk 
slower.  Are  you  ill  this  morning,  child  ?"  he  asked 
with  a  change  of  voice  as  he  saw  how  pale  she  was 
looking. 

Mary  did  not  speak  until  she  came  quite  close, 
then  she  stopped  and  looked  at  him  with  eyes  full 
of  tears. 

"■  Oh,  John,"  she  began,  "  what  can  I  say  ?" 

"  Why,  ray  dear  Mary,  what  on  earth  is  the  mat- 
ter with  you?"  he  said,  throwing  down  his  spade 
and  taking  her  hands  in  his. 

"  I  am  so  unhappy,  John." 

"  Unhappy  !"  John  repeated.  "  What  is  making 
you  unhappy,  child  ?" 

"  It  is  so  dreadful,"  she  said,  "  to  think  that  I, 
who  ought  to  have  known  you  so  well,  I,  your 
betrothed  wife,  have  been  thinking  that  you  were 
so  mean  as  to  be  jealous,  for  I  did  think  it  was  that, 
John,  when  you  made  light  of  the  doings  of  the 
hero  I  had  been  thinking  about  so  much,  and  would 
not  allow  that  he  had  done  anything  particular.  I 
thought  that  you  were  jealous,  John ;  and  now  I 
know  what  you  have  done,  and  why  you  spoke  so, 
I  feel  I  am  altogether  unworthy  of  you." 

"  Well,  Mary,  I  never  thought  you  were  a  little 
goose  before.  What  nonsense  you  are  talking !  It 
was  only  natural  you  should  have  thought  I  was 
jealous,  and  I  should  have  been  jealous  if  it  had 


238  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

been  any  one  else  you  were  praising  so  much.  It 
was  my  fault  for  not  telling  you  at  once.  Conceal- 
ments are  always  stupid ;  but  I  had  thought  that  it 
would  give  you  a  pleasant  surprise  when  you  got 
home  to  hear  about  it ;  but  instead  of  causing  you 
pleasure  I  have  caused  you  pain.  I  was  not  vexed 
in  the  slightest ;  I  was  rather  amused  when  you 
answered  me  so  curtly." 

"  I  think  it  was  cruel  of  you,  John,  to  let  me  go 
on  thinking  badly  of  you,  and  showing  yourself  in 
so  unworthy  a  light.  That  does  not  make  it  any 
the  less  wrong  of  me.  I  ought  to  have  believed  in 
you." 

"  You  are  making  a  mountain  out  of  a  molehill, 
Mary,  and  I  won't  hear  any  such  nonsense.  You 
heard  an  absurd  story  as  to  what-  some  one  had  been 
doing,  and  you  naturally  made  a  hero  of  him.  You 
were  hurt  by  my  speaking  slightingly  of  this  hero 
of  yours,  and  naturally  thought  I  was  jealous  at 
hearing  such  praises  of  another  from  my  betrothed 
wife.  It  was  all  perfectly  natural.  I  was  not  in 
the  least  offended  with  you,  or  put  out  in  any  way, 
except  that  I  was  vexed  with  myself  for  not  telling 
you  at  once  that  all  these  fables  related  to  your 
Cousin  John.  Now,  dry  your  eyes,  and  don't  think 
any  more  about  it.  Go  and  pick  two  of  the  finest 
bunches  of  grapes  you  can  find,  and  we  will  eat 
them  together." 

But  it  was  some  time  before  Mary  recovered  her 
brightness.  The  changes  which  the  last  few  months 
had  made  almost  depressed  her.     It  was  but  a  year 


FOn  TEE  TEMPLE.  239 

ago  that  John  and  she  had  been  boy  and  girl  to- 
gether ;  now  he  had  become  a  man,  had  done  great 
deeds,  was  looked  upon  by  many  as  one  chosen  for 
the  deliverance  of  the  nation.  Mary  felt  that  she 
too  had  aged  ;  but  the  change  in  her  was  as  noth- 
ing to  that  in  her  old  playfellow.  It  was  but  a  year 
ago  she  had  been  gravely  advising  him,  treating 
him  sometimes  as  if  she  had  been  the  elder.  She 
would  have  treated  him  now,  if  he  would  have  let 
her,  with  something  of  the  deference  and  respect 
which  a  Jewish  maiden  would  usually  pay  to  a  be- 
trothed husband — one  who  was  shortly  to  become 
her  lord.  But  the  first  time  he  detected  this  man- 
ner John  simply  laughed  at  her  and  said  : 

"  My  dear  Mary,  do  not  let  us  have  any  nonsense 
of  this  sort.  We  have  been  always  equals,  you  and 
I,  friends  and  companions.  You  know  just  as  well 
as  I  do  tliat  in  all  matters  which  we  have  had  in 
common,  you  have  always  had  quite  as  much  sense 
as  I,  and  on  a  great  many  matters  more  sense. 
Nothing  has  occurred  since  then  to  alter  that.  I 
have  grown  into  a  young  man,  you  into  a  young 
woman  ;  but  we  have  advanced  equally.  On  matters 
concerning  warfare  I  have  gained  a  deal  of  knowl- 
edge ;  in  other  matters,  doubtless,  you  have  gained 
knowledge.  And  if,  dear,  it  is  God's  will  that  I 
pass  through  the  troubles  and  dangers  that  lie  be- 
fore us,  and  we  become  man  and  wife,  I  tru^t  that 
we  shall  always  be  the  friends  and  comrades  that 
we  have  been  as  boy  and  girl  together.  It  is  all 
very  well,  when  young  men  and  maidens  have  see^i 


240  ^OB  IHE  TEMPLE, 

nothing  of  each  other  until  their  parents  bring  them 
together  as  man  and  wife,  for  the  bride  to  affect  a 
deep  respect,  which  I  have  not  the  least  doubt  she 
is  generally  far  from  feeling  in  her  heart,  for  the 
man  to  whom  she  is  given.  Happily  this  has  not 
been  the  way  with  us.  We  have  learned  to  know 
each  other  well,  and  to  know  that,  beyond  the  dif- 
ference in  strength  which  a  man  has  over  a  woman, 
there  is  no  difference  between  us ;  that  one  will  rule 
the  house  and  the  other  will  rule  the  farm,  but  that 
in  all  things,  I  trust,  w^e  shall  be  companions  and 
equals.  I  do  hope,  Mary,  that  there  will  be  no 
change  in  our  ways  the  few  months  we  have  to  be 
together  now. 

"  In  the  spring  I  go  up  to  help  to  defend  Jerusa- 
lem, and  it  is  no  use  hiding  the  fact  from  ourselves 
that  there  is  but  little  chance  of  my  returning.  We 
know  what  has  befallen  those  who  have  hitherto 
defended  cities  against  the  Romans,  and  what  has 
happened  at  Jotapata  and  Gamala  will  probably 
happen  at  Jerusalem.  But  for  this  reason  let  us 
have  no  change ;  let  us  be  as  brother  and  sister  to 
one  another,  as  we  have  been  all  along.  If  God 
brings  me  back  safe  to  you  and  you  become  my  wife 
there  will  be  plenty  of  time  to  settle  exactly  how 
much  deference  you  shall  pay  me,  but  I  shall  expect 
that  when  the  novelty  of  affecting  the  wifely  obe- 
dience which  is  enjoined  upon  the  females  of  our 
race  is  past  you  will  be  quite  ready  to  take  up  that 
equality  which  is,  after  all,  the  rule  in  practice." 

"  I    shall    remember    your   words,"'   Mary    sail/ 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  241 

saucily,  "when  the  time  comes.  It  may  be  you 
will  regret  your  expressions  about  equality  some 
day." 

So  during  the  winter  Mary  tried  to  be  bright  and 
cheerful,  and  Martha,  whose  heart  was  filled  with 
anxiety  as  to  the  dangers  and  trials  which  lay  be- 
fore them — Jerusalem  and  the  Temple  threatened, 
and  John  away  engaged  in  desperate  enterprises — 
often  wondered  to  herself  when  she  heard  the  girl's 
merry  laugh  as  she  talked  with  John,  and  saw  how 
completely  she  seemed  to  put  aside  every  sort  of 
anxiety ;  but  she  did  not  know  how  Mary  often 
spent  the  entire  night  in  weeping  and  prayer,  and 
how  hard  was  her  struggle  to  keep  up  the  brave 
appearance  which  was,  she  knew,  a  pleasure  to 
John. 

He  was  not  much  at  home,  being  often  absent  for 
days  together.  Strangers  came  and  went  fre- 
quently. John  had  long  conversations  with  them, 
and  sometimes  went  away  with  them  and  did  not 
return  for  three  or  four  days.  No  questions  were 
asked  by  his  parents  as  to  these  visitors  or  his  absence. 
They  knew  that  they  had  reference  to  what  they 
considered  his  mission ;  and  as  when  he  returned 
home  he  evidently  wished  to  lay  aside  all  thought 
of  other  things  and  to  devote  himself  to  his  life 
with  them,  they  asked  no  questions  as  to  what  he 
was  doing. 

He  spoke  sometimes  of  these  things  to  Mary  when 
they  were  together  alone.  She  knew  that  numbers 
of  young  men  were  only  waiting  his  signal  to  join 


342  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

him ;  that  parties  of  them  met  him  among  the  hills 
and  were  there  organized  into  companies,  each  with 
officers  of  their  own  choice  over  them  ;  and  that, 
unknown  to  the  Eomans  at  Scythopolis,  there  were 
daily  held  throughout  the  country  on  both  sides  of 
the  Jordan  meetings  where  men  practiced  with 
their  arms,  improved  their  skill  with  the  bow  and 
arrow,  and  learned  to  obey  the  various  signals  of 
the  bugle  which  John  had  now  elaborated. 

John  was  resolute  in  refusing  to  accept  any  men 
with  wives  and  families.  There  were  other  leaders, 
he  said,  under  whom  these  could  fight ;  he  \^as  de- 
termined to  have  none  but  men  who  were  ready  to 
sacrifice  their  lives,  and  without  the  care  of  others 
dependent  upon  them. 

He  was  ready  to  accept  youths  of  fifteen  as 
well  as  men  of  twenty-five,  believing  that,  in 
point  of  courage,  the  one  were  equal  to  the  other. 
But  each  candidate  had  to  be  introduced  by  others, 
who  vouched  for  his  activity,  hardihood,  and  cour- 
age. One  of  his  objects  was  to  avoid  increasing  his 
band  to  too  great  dimensions.  The  number  of  those 
ready  to  go  up  to  defend  Jerusalem,  and  eager  to 
enroll  themselves  as  followers  of  this  new  leader, 
whose  mission  was  now  generally  believed  in  in 
that  part  of  the  country,  was  very  large  ;  but  John 
knew  that  a  multitude  would  be  unwieldy  ;  that  he 
would  find  it  impossible  to  carry  out  with  thousands 
of  men  tactics  dependent  for  success  upon  celerity 
of  movement ;  and,  moreover,  that  did  he  arrive  in 
Jerusalem  with  so  great  a  following,  he   would  at 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  243 

once  become  an  object  of  jealousy  to  the  leaders  of 
the  factions  there. 

He  therefore  limited  the  number  to  four  hundred 
men,  urging  upon  all  others  who  presented  them- 
selves or  sent  messages  to  him  to  form  themselves 
into  similar  bands,  to  choose  leaders,  and  to  act  as 
independent  bodies,  hanging  upon  the  rear  of  the 
Eomans,  harassing  them  with  frequent  night  alarms, 
cutting  off  their  convoys,' attacking  their  working 
parties,  and  always  avoiding  encounters  with  strong 
bodies  of  the  Romans  by  retreating  into  the  hills. 
He  said  that  although  he  would  not  receive  more  men 
into  his  own  force  than  he  thought  could  be  easily 
handled,  he  should  be  glad  to  act  in  concert  with  the 
other  leaders,  so  that  at  times  the  bands  might  all 
unite  in  a  common  enterprise,  and  especially  that  if 
they  entered  Jerusalem  they  might  hold  together, 
and  thus  be  enabled  to  keep  aloof  from  the  parties 
of  John  of  Gischala  or  Eleazar,  who  were  contend- 
ing for  the  mastery  of  the  city. 

His  advice  was  taken,  and  several  bands  similar 
to  his  own  were  formed,  but  their  leaders  felt  that 
they  needed  the  prestige  and  authority  which  John 
had  gained,  and  that  their  followers  would  not  obey 
their  orders  with  the  faith  which  was  inspired  in 
the  members  of  John's  own  band  by  their  belief  in 
his  special  mission.  Their  representations  on  this 
subject  were  so  urgent  that  John,  at  their  request, 
attended  a  meeting  at  which  ten  of  these  chiefs  were 
present.  It  was  held  in  a  farm-house  not  far  from 
the  spot  where  Gamala  had  stood.    John  was  em- 


244  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

barrassed  at  the  respect  which  these  men,  all  of 
them  several  years  older  than  himself,  paid  him ; 
but  he  accepted  the  position  quietly,  for  he  felt  that 
the  belief  that  existed  as  to  his  having  a  special 
mission  added  greatly  to  his  power  of  utihty.  He 
listened  to  their  representations  as  to  their  want  of 
authority,  and  to  the  rivalries  and  jealousies  which 
already  existed  among  those  who  had  enrolled 
themselves.     When  they  had  finished  he  said  : 

"  I  have  been  thinking  the  matter  well  over.  I 
am  convinced  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that 
none  of  the  commands  shall  exceed  the  numbers  I 
have  fixed  upon,  namely,  four  hundred  men,  divided 
into  eight  companies,  each  with  a  captain ;  but  at 
the  same  time  I  do  not  see  any  reasons  why  all  our 
corps  should  not  be  nominally  under  one  leader. 
If,  then,  you  think  it  will  strengthen  your  position, 
I  am  ready  to  accept  the  general  leadership  and  to 
appoint  you  each  as  commanders  of  your  troops. 
Then  you  will  hold  my  commissions,  and  I  will  sup- 
port you  in  your  commands  with  any  authority  I 
may  have. 

"  At  the  same  time  you  will  understand  that  you 
will  in  reality  act  altogether  independently  of  me, 
save  and  except  when  it  seems  to  me  that  we  can 
unite  in  any  enterprise ;  if  we  enter  Jerusalem  we 
will  then  hold  together  for  mutual  protection  from 
the  factions;  but  even  there  you  will  each  com- 
mand independently,  for  did  I  assume  a  general 
command  it  would  excite  the  jealousy  of  the  lead- 
ers of  the  factions,  and  we  should  be  forced  to  take 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  245 

part  in  the  civil  strife  which  is  devastating  the 
city." 

A  cordial  consent  to  this  proposition  was  given 
by  the  other  leaders,  who  said  that  the  knowledge 
that  they  were  John's  oflBcers  would  add  immensely 
to  their  authority,  and  would  also  raise  the  courage 
and  devotion  of  their  men,  who  would  not  be- 
lieve that  they  were  being  led  to  victory  unless 
they  were  acting  under  the  orders  of  John  himself. 

"  Remember,"  John  said,  "  that  if  misfortune  be- 
falls us  I  have  never  laid  claim  to  any  divine  com- 
mission. We  are  all  agents  of  God,  and  it  may  be 
that  he  has  specially  chosen  me  as  one  of  his  instru- 
ments ;  but  this  I  cannot  say  beyond  the  fact  that 
so  far  I  have  been  carried  safely  through  great  dan- 
gers and  have  been  enabled  to  win  successes  over 
the  Romans.  But  I  do  not  set  up  as  a  specially 
appointed  leader.  I  say  this  for  two  reasons:  in 
the  first  place,  that  you  should  not  think  that  I  am 
claiming  authority  and  command  on  grounds  which 
may  not  be  justified  ;  and  in  the  second  place,  that 
if  I  should  fall  early  in  the  fighting,  others  should 
not  be  disheartened  and  believe  that  the  Lord  has 
deserted  them. 

"  I  am  but  a  lad  among  you,  and  I  recognize 
that  it  is  God  who  has  so  strangely  brought  me 
into  eminence,  but  having  done  that  much  he  may 
now  choose  some  other  instrument.  If  this  should 
be  so,  if,  as  may  well  be,  one  of  you  should  obtain 
far  greater  success  than  may  attjend  me,  I  shall  be 
only  too  glad  to  lay  aside  this   authority  over  the 


246  V-OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

rest  with  which  you  are  willing  to  invest  me,  and 
to  follow  him  as  cheerfully  as  you  now  propose  to 
follow  me." 

The  meeting  soon  afterward  broke  up,  and  the 
news  that  John  of  Gamala,  as  he  was  generally 
called  from  the  success  he  had  gained  over  the  Ko- 
mans  before  that  town,  had  assumed  the  supreme 
command  of  the  various  bands  which  were  being 
raised  in  Eastern  Galilee  and  on  the  east  of  Jordan, 
spread  rapidly  and  greatly  increased  the  popular 
feeling  of  hope  and  confidence.  Fresh  bands  were 
formed,  the  leaders  all  receiving  their  appointments 
from  him.  Before  the  spring  arrived  there  were 
twenty  bands  formed  and  organized  in  readiness  to 
march  down  toward  Jerusalem  as  soon  as  the  Ro- 
man legions  got  into  motion. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  247 


CHAPTER  XI. 

A   TALE   OF   CIVIL   8TKIFE. 

Toward  the  spring  Simon  and  his  family  were 
surprised  by  a  visit  from  the  Rabbi  Solomon  Ben 
Manasseh.  It  was  a  year  since  they  had  last  seen 
him,  when  he  called  to  take  leave  of  them  on  start- 
ing for  Jerusalem.  They  scarcely  recognized  hira  as 
he  entered,  so  old  and  broken  did  he  look, 

"  The  Lord  be  praised  that  I  see  you  all  safe  and 
well !"  he  said  as  they  assisted  him  to  dismount 
from  the  donkey  that  he  rode.  "  Ah,  my  friends, 
you  are  happy  indeed  in  your  quiet  farm,  free  from 
all  the  distractions  of  this  terrible  time !  Looking 
round  here  and  seeing  you  just  as  I  left  you,  save 
that  the  young  people  have  grown  somewhat,  I 
could  think  that  I  left  you  but  yesterday,  and  that 
I  have  been  passing  through  a  hideous  nightmare. 
Look  at  me  !  My  flesh  has  fallen  away  and  my 
strength  has  gone,  I  can  scarce  stand  upon  my 
legs,  and  a  young  child  could  overthrow  me.  I 
have  wept  till  my  tears  are  dried  up  over  the  mis- 
fortunes of  Jerusalem,  and  yet  no  enemy  has  come 
within  sight  of  her  walls,  or  dug  a  trench  against 
her.  She  is  devoured  by  her  own  children.  Ruin 
and  desolation  have  come  upon  her." 


048  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

The  old  man  was  assisted  into  the  house  and  food 
and  wine  placed  before  him.  Then  he  was  led  into 
the  guest-chamber,  and  there  slept  for  some  hours. 
In  the  evening  he  had  recovered  somewhat  of  his 
strength,  and  joined  the  party  at  their  meal.  When 
it  was  concluded  and  the  family  were  alone,  he  told 
them  what  had  happened  in  Jerusalem  during  the 
past  year.  Yague  rumors  of  dissension  and  civil 
war  had  reached  them,  but  a  jealous  watch  was  set 
round  the  city,  and  none  were  suffered  to  leave, 
under  the  pretext  that  all  who  wished  to  go  out 
were  deserters  who  sought  to  join  the  Romans. 

"  I  passed  through  with  difficulty,"  the  rabbi  said, 
"  after  bribing  John  of  Gischala  with  all  my  world- 
ly means  to  grant  me  a  pass  through  the  guards, 
and  even  then  should  not  have  succeeded  had  he 
not  known  me  in  old  times,  when  I  looked  upon 
him  as  one  zealous  for  the  defense  of  the  country 
against  the  Romans,  little  thinking  then  that  the 
days  would  come  when  he  would  grow  into  an  op- 
pressor of  the  people,  tenfold  as  cruel  and  pitiless 
as  the  worst  of  the  Roman  tribunes. 

"  Last  autumn,  when,  with  the  band  of  horsemen 
with  steeds  weary  with  hard  riding,  he  arrived  be- 
fore the  gates  of  Jerusalem,  saying  that  they  had 
come  to  defend  the  city,  thinking  it  not  worth 
while  to  risk  their  lives  in  the  defense  of  a  mere 
mountain  town  like  Gischala,  the  people  poured  out 
to  meet  him  and  do  him  honor.  Terrible  rumors 
of  slaughter  and  massacre  in  Galilee  had  reached 
us,   but   none   knew   the   exact  truth.     Moreover, 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  349 

John  had  been  an  enemy  of  Josephus,  and  since 
Josephus  had  gone  over  to  the  Eomans  his  name 
was  hated  and  accursed  among  the  people,  and  thus 
they  were  favorably  inclined  toward  John. 

"  I  don't  think  any  one  was  deceived  by  the  story 
he  told,  for  it  was  evident  that  John  and  his  men 
had  fled  before  the  Romans,  Still,  the  tidinss  he 
brought  were  reassuring,  and  he  was  gladly  received 
in  the  city.  He  told  us  that  the  Romans  had  suf- 
fered very  heavily  at  the  sieges  of  Jotapata  and 
Gamala,  that  they  were  greatly  dispirited  by  the 
desperate  resistance  they  had  met  with,  that  a 
number  of  their  engines  of  war  had  been  destroyed, 
and  that  they  were  in  no  condition  to  undertake  the 
siege  of  a  strong  city  like  Jerusalem.  But  though 
all  outwardly  rejoiced,  many  in  their  hearts  grieved 
at  the  news,  for  they  thought  that  even  an  occu- 
pation by  the  Romans  would  be  preferable  to  the 
suffering  they  were  undergoing. 

"  For  months  bands  of  robbers,  who  called  them- 
selves Zealots,  had  ravaged  the  whole  country, 
pillaging,  burning,  and  slaying,  under  the  pretense 
that  those  they  assaulted  were  favorable  to  the 
cause  of  Rome.  Thus  gradually  the  country  people 
all  forsook  their  homes  and  fled  to  Jerusalem  for 
refuge ;  and  when  the  country  was  left  a  desert 
and  no  more  plunder  was  to  be  gained,  these  robber 
bands  gradually  entered  Jerusalem. 

"  As  you  know,  the  gates  of  the  holy  city  were 
always  open  to  all  the  Jewish  people,  and  none 
thought  of  excluding  the  strangers  who  entered, 


250  ^R  THE  TEMPLE. 

believing  that  every  armed  man  would  add  to  the 
power  of  resistance  when  the  Romans  appeared  be- 
fore it.  The  robbers,  who  came  singly  or  in  small 
parties  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  soon  gathered 
themselves  together  in  the  city  and  established  a 
sort  of  terror  over  the  peaceable  inhabitants.  Men 
were  robbed  and  murdered  openly  in  the  street ; 
houses  were  broken  open  and  pillaged ;  none  dare 
walk  in  the  street  without  the  risk  of  insult  or 
assault.  Antipas,  Levias,  and  Saphias,  all  of  royal 
blood,  were  seized,  thrown  into  prison,  and  there 
murdered  ;  and  many  others  of  the  principal  people 
were  slain.  Then  the  robbers  proceeded  to  further 
lengths. 

"  They  took  upon  themselves  to  appoint  a  high- 
priest  ;  selected  a  family  which  had  no  claim  what- 
ever to  the  distinction,  and  drawing  lots  among 
them,  chose  as  high-priest  one  Phannias — a  country 
priest,  ignorant,  boorish,  and  wholly  unable  to  dis- 
charge the  function  of  the  office.  Hitherto  the 
people  had  submitted  to  the  oppression  of  the 
Zealots,  but  this  desecration  of  the  holy  office  filled 
them  with  rage  and  indignation ;  and  Ananus,  the 
oldest  of  the  chief  priests,  a  man  of  piety  and 
wisdom,  was  the  head  of  the  movement,  and,  calling 
the  people  together,  exhorted  them  to  resist  the 
tyranny  which  oppressed  them,  and  which  was  now 
desecrating  the  Temple ;  for  the  Zealots  had  taken 
refuge  there  and  made  the  holy  place  their  head- 
quarters. 

"The  people  seized  their  arms,  but  before  they 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  261 

were  ready  for  the  attack  the  Zealots,  learning 
what  was  going  on,  took  the  initiative  and  fell  upon 
them.  The  people  were  less  accustomed  to  arms 
than  their  foes,  but  they  had  the  superiority  of 
numbers,  and  fought  with  fury.  At  first  the 
Zealots  gained  the  advantage,  but  the  people  in- 
creased in  numbers,  those  behind  pressed  those  in 
front  forward,  and  the  Zealots  were  driven  back 
into  the  Temple,  and  the  Quadrangle  of  the  Gentiles 
was  taken. 

"  The  Zealots  fled  into  the  inner  court  and  closed 
the  gates.  Thither  their  wounded  had  already  been 
carried,  and  the  whole  place  was  defiled  with  their 
blood.  But  Ananus,  having  the  fear  of  God  before 
his  eyes,  did  not  like  to  attack  them  there ;  and 
leaving  six  thousand  chosen  men  on  o-uard  in  the 
cloisters,  and  arranging  that  these  should  be 
regularly  relieved,  retired.  Such  was  the  state  of 
things  when  John  of  Gischala  arrived.  He  at  once 
professed  complete  agreement  with  the  party  of 
Ananus,  and  was  admitted  into,  all  their  councils ; 
but  all  the  time,  as  we  afterward  learned,  he  was 
keeping  up  a  secret  correspondence  with  the  Zealots, 
and  betrayed  to  them  all  that  took  place  at  the 
council.  There  was  some  distrust  of  him,  but  in 
addition  to  the  party  that  had  entered  the  city  with 
him,  he  had  speedily  gathered  together  many 
others ;  and,  distracted  as  we  already  were  with  our 
troubles,  none  cared  to  add  to  the  number  of  their 
enemies  by  openly  distrusting  John,  who  took 
many  solemn  oaths  of  fidelity  to  the  cause  of 
order. 


252  f^R  THE  TEMPLE. 

"He  at  length  volunteered  to  enter  the  inner 
Temple  on  a  mission  to  the  Zealots,  and  to  per- 
suade them  to  surrender  and  leave  the  city.  But  no 
sooner  was  he  among  them  than  he  threw  off  the 
mask,  and  told  the  Zealots  that  the  offers  to  allow 
them  to  depart  in  peace  were  blinds,  and  that  they 
would  at  once  be  massacred  if  they  surrendered. 
He  therefore  advised  them  to  resist  and  to  send  for 
assistance  without,  recommending  them  especially 
to  send  to  the  Idumeana  Eleazar  and  Zacharias, 
the  chiefs  of  the  Zealots,  felt  sure  that  they  above 
all  would  be  sacrificed  if  they  surrendered,  and  they 
embraced  John's  counsel  and  sent  off  swift-footed 
messengers  to  the  Idumeans,  urging  them  to  come 
to  their  assistance. 

"  The  Idumeans  had,  since  their  conquest  by 
Hyrcanus,  been  incorporated  with  the  Jews.  They 
were  a  fierce  and  warlike  people,  of  Arab  descent ; 
and  immediately  the  messengers  of  the  Zealots  ar- 
rived they  embraced  the  proposal,  anticipating  the 
acquisition  of  great  plunder  in  Jerusalem.  March- 
ing with  all  speed,  they  appeared  twenty  thousand 
strong  before  the  walls  of  Jerusalem. 

"  Although  taken  completely  by  surprise,  for  none 
knew  that  messengers  had  gone  over  to  the  Idu- 
means, the  people  manned  the  walls,  and  Jesus,  a 
colleague  of  Ananus,  addressed  the  Idumeans.  He 
asked  them  to  take  one  of  three  courses:  either  to 
unite  with  the  people  in  punishing  the  notorious 
robbers  and  assassins  who  were  desecrating  the 
Temple,  or  to  enter  the  city  unarmed  and  arbitrate 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  253 

between  the  conflicting  parties,  or  to  depart  and 
leave  the  city  to  settle  its  own  difficulties.  Simon, 
the  leader  of  the  Iduraeans,  answered  that  they 
came  to  take  the  part  of  the  true- patriots  against 
men  who  were  conspiring  basely  to  sell  the  people 
into  the  hands  of  the  Romans. 

"  At  this  answer  Jesus  left  the  wall,  and  we  held 
debate  upon  the  situation.  Before  the  arrival  of 
this  new  enemy  we  felt  certain  of  overpowering 
the  Zealots,  and  Ananus  would  ere  long  have  been 
persuaded  to  lay  aside  his  scruples  and  attack  them, 
for  as  they  were  desecrating  the  sanctuary  it  would 
be  better  to  shed  their  blood  there,  and,  when  these 
wicked  men  were  slain,  to  offer  up  atonement  and 
purify  the  Temple,  as  had  been  done  before  in  the 
days  of  the  Maccabees  after  the  Temple  had  been 
defiled. 

"  "We  redoubled  our  guards  round  the  Temple,  so 
that  none  could  issue  out  thence  to  communicate 
with  the  Idumeans.  At  night  a  terrible  storm  set 
in,  with  lightning,  thunder,  and  rain,  so  that  the 
very  earth  seemed  to  shake.  A  great  awe  fell  upon 
all  within  and  without  the  city.  To  all  it  seemed 
a  sign  of  the  wrath  of  God  at  the  civil  discords ;  but 
though  doubtless  it  was  the  voice  of  the  Almighty, 
it  was  rather  a  presage  of  further  evils. 

"  Under  shelter  of  the  storm,  which  drove  all  the 
guards  to  take  refuge,  some  of  the  Zealots  cut  asun- 
der the  bars  of  the  gate  and  crept  along  the  street 
to  the  wall.  Then  they  sawed  through  the  bars  of 
the  gate  that  faced  the  Idumeans,  who  were  trem- 


254  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

bling  with  terror  in  the  storm.  Unseen  by  any  one 
the  Idumeans  entered  the  gate,  marched  through 
the  city,  and  approached  the  Temple.  Then  they 
fell  upon  our  guards,  while  the  Zealots  attacked 
them  from  behind. 

"  Furious  at  the  hours  they  had  passed  exposed 
to  the  tempest,  ashamed  of  their  fears,  and  natu- 
rally pitiless  and  cruel,  the  Idumeans  gave  no  quar- 
ter, and  a  terrible  carnage  took  place  among  the  ten 
thousand  men  who  had  been  placed  in  the  outer 
court  of  the  Temple.  Some  fought  desperately, 
others  threw  themselves  down  from  the  wall  into 
the  city,  and  when  morning  dawned  eighty-five  hun- 
dred of  our  best  fighting  men  had  been  slain. 

"  As  soon  as  it  was  daylight  the  Idumeans  broke 
into  the  city,  pillaging  and  slaying.  The  high- 
priests,  Ananus  and  Jesus,  were  among  those  who 
were  slain,  and  in  that  terrible  night  were  extin- 
guished the  last  hopes  of  saving  Jerusalem.  Ananus 
was  a  man  of  the  highest  character.  He  had  labored 
unceasingly  to  place  the  city  in  a  posture  of  defense, 
believing,  and  rightly,  that  the  stronger  were  its 
walls,  and  the  more  formidable  the  resistance  it 
could  offer,  the  better  chance  there  was  of  obtaining 
favorable  terms  from  the  Romans. 

"  Ananus  was  the  leader  and  hope  of  the  peace 
party,  which  comprised  all  the  respectable  classes 
and  all  the  older  and  wiser  men  in  Jerusalem.  His 
death  left  the  conduct  of  affairs  in  the  hands  of  the 
thoughtless,  the  rash,  and  the  desperate.  The  mas- 
sacre continued  for  days,  the  Idumeans  hunting  the 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  255 

citizens  in  the  streets.  Vast  numbers  were  killed 
without  question.  The  young  men  of  the  upper 
classes  were  dragged  to  prison  and  were  there 
scourged  and  tortured  to  force  them  to  join  the 
Zealots  ;  but  not  one  would  do  so ;  all  preferred 
death. 

"  Thus  perished  twelve  thousand  of  the  best  and 
wisest  in  Jerusalem.  Then  the  Zealots  set  up  a 
tribunal,  and  by  proclamation  assembled  seventy  of 
the  principal  citizens  remaining  to  form  a  court,  and 
before  it  brought  Zacharias,  the  son  of  Baruch,  an 
upright,  patriotic,  and  wealthy  man.  Him  they 
charged  with  entering  into  correspondence  with  the 
Romans,  but  produced  no  shadow  of  evidence  against 
him. 

"  Zacharias  defended  himself  boldly,  clearly  estab- 
lishing his  own  innocence,  and  denouncing  the  in- 
iquities of  his  accusers.  The  seventy  unanimously 
acquitted  the  prisoner,  preferring  to  die  with  him 
to  condemning  an  innocent  man.  The  Zealots 
rushed  forward  with  cries  of  rage  and  slew  Zacha- 
rias, and  with  blows  and  insults  turned  the  judges 
out  of  the  Temple.  The  Idumeans  at  length  began 
to  weary  of  massacre,  and  were  sated  with  pillage, 
and  declaring  that  they  had  been  deceived  by  the 
Zealots,  and  that  they  believed  no  treason  had  been 
intended,  they  left  the  city,  first  opening  the  prisons 
and  releasing  two  thousand  persons  confined  there, 
who  fled  to  Simon  the  son  of  Gioras,  who  was  wast- 
ing the  country  toward  Idumea. 

"The   Zealots  after    their  departure  redoubled 


256  POR  THE  TEMPLE. 

their  iniquities,  and  seemed  as  if  they  would  leave 
none  alive  save  the  lowest  of  the  people.  Gorion,  a 
great  and  distinguished  man,  was  among  the  slain. 
Niger  of  Peraea,  who  had  been  the  leader  in  the 
attack  on  the  Romans  at  Ascalon,  a  noble  and 
true-hearted  patriot,  was  also  murdered.  He  died 
calling  upon  the  Romans  to  come  to  avenge  those 
who  had  been  thus  murdered,  and  denouncing 
famine,  pestilence,  and  civil  massacre,  as  well  as 
war,  against  the  accursed  city. 

"  I  had  lain  hidden  with  an  obscure  family,  with 
whom  I  had  lodged  during  these  terrible  times.  So 
great  was  the  terror  and  misery  in  the  city  that 
those  who  lived  envied  the  dead.  It  was  death  to 
bury  even  a  relative,  and  both  within  and  without 
the  city  lay  heaps  of  bodies  decaying  in  the  sun. 
Even  among  the  Zealots  themselves  factions  arose. 
John  of  Gischala  headed  one  party,  and  that  the 
more  violent.  Over  these  he  ruled  with  absolute 
authority,  and  occupied  one  portion  of  the  city. 
The  other  party  acknowledged  no  special  leader. 
Sometimes,  then,  the  factions  fought  among  them- 
selves, but  neither  side  ceased  from  plundering  and 
murdering  the  inhabitants. 

"Such,  my  friends,  was  the  condition  of  Jeru- 
salem when  I  left  it,  having,  as  I  told  you, 
purchased  a  permission  from  John  of  Gischala  to 
pass  through  the  guards  at  the  gates.  As  I  traveled 
here  I  learned  that  another  danger  threatens  us. 
The  sect  called  the  Assassins,  as  you  know,  seized 
the  strong  fortress  of  Masada  near  the  Dead  Sea  at 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  257 

the  beginning  of  the  troubles.  Until  lately  they 
have  been  content  to  subsist  on  the  plunder  of  the 
adjacent  country,  but  on  the  night  of  the  Passover 
they  surprised  Engaddi,  dispersed  all  who  resisted, 
and  slew  seven  hundred  women  and  children  who 
could  not  escape.  They  carried  off  the  contents  of 
the  granaries,  and  are  now  wasting  the  whole 
region. 

"  What  hope  can  there  be  of  success,  my  friends, 
when,  with  an  enemy  close  to  their  gates,  the  Je\vs 
are  slaying  more  of  their  fellow-countrymen  than 
the  Romans  themselves  ?  Did  ever  a  country  pre- 
sent so  humiliating  and  terrible  a  spectacle  ?  Were 
such  atrocities  ever  perpetrated  by  men  upon  their 
brothers  ?  And  yet  the  madmen  still  believe  that 
the  Almighty  will  deliver  them,  will  save  from 
destruction  that  Temple  which  they  have  polluted, 
the  altars  that  they  have  deluged  with  blood." 

When  the  rabbi  had  finished  his  narration  there 
was  a  long  silence.  Martha  was  in  tears  at  the 
recital  of  the  misery  which  was  endured  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  ;  Simon  sat  with  his  face 
covered  w4th  his  hands ;  John  had  scarce  moved 
since  the  rabbi  had  begun  his  story,  but  sat  with  a 
heavy  frown  on  his  face,  looking  straight  before 
him ;  while  Mary  anxiously  watched  him  to  see  the 
effect  of  the  recital  upon  him.  Simon  was  the  first 
to  speak. 

"  It  is  a  tale  of  mourning,  lamentation,  and  woe 
that  you  have  told  us,  rabbi.  Not  even  in  the  days 
of  our  captivity  in  Babylon  were  the  Jewish  people 


258  FOB  TEE  TEMPLE. 

fallen  so  low.  Let  us  to  bed  now.  These  things 
are  too  terrible  to  spealc  of  until  we  have  laid  them 
before  the  Lord  and  asked  his  guidance.  I  wonder 
not  now,  rabbi,  that  years  seem  to  have  rolled  over 
your  head  since  we  last  met." 

The  others  rose.  Mar}'-,  as  she  passed  John,  laid 
her  hands  on  his  shoulder  with  a  caressing  action, 
which  was  very  rare  to  her,  for  she  generally  be- 
haved to  hira  as  to  a  brother,  holding  any  exhibition 
of  greater  affection  unmaidenly  until  the  days  of 
betrothal  were  ended. 

The  action  seemed  to  recall  John  from  his  gloomy 
thought,  and  he  smiled  down  at  her  anxious  face  ; 
then  when  the  others  went  ofl^  to  their  apartments 
he  went  out  into  the  night  air  and  stood  for  hours 
nearly  immovable  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  stars. 
In  the  morning  Mary  joined  him  in  the  garden,  as 
had  come  to  be  their  custom,  this  being  the  only 
time  in  the  day  when  they  were  alone  together. 

"  Well,  John  ? "  she  asked. 

He  understood'  her  question. 

"  I  have  thought  it  over,  Mary,  in  every  way,  but 
I  cannot  see  that  my  duty  is  changed  by  what  we 
heard  last  night.  Affection  for  you  and  my  parents 
would  keep  me  here,  and  I  wish  that  I  could  see 
that  my  duty  could  go  hand  in  hand  with  my 
wishes.  I  have  been  sorely  tempted  to  yield,  to  re- 
sign the  struggle,  to  remam  here  in  peace  and  quiet ; 
but  I  should  never  be  happy.  I  do  not  believe  that 
I  am,  as  so  many  think,  specially  called  to  be  a 
deliverer,  though  God  has  assuredly  specially  pro- 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  269 

tected  and  aided  me ;  but  did  I  draw  back  now  it 
would  be  a  grievous  discouragement  to  many.  I 
have  put  my  hand  to  the  plow  and  cannot  look 
back.  God  has  permitted  these  miseries  to  fall  upon 
Jerusalem  doubtless  as  a  punishment  for  the  sins  of 
the  people.  It  may  be  yet  that  his  wrath  will  be 
abated,  and  that  he  will  remember  the  mercies  of 
old. 

"  He  has  suffered  his  temple  to  be  profaned,  but 
it  may  not  be  his  purpose  to  allow  it  to  be  de- 
stroyed utterly.  The  evil  doings,  therefore,  of  evil 
men  do  not  release  us  from  our  duty,  and  it  has 
always  been  held  the  chief  duty  of  all  Jews  to  die, 
if  need  be,  in  defense  of  the  Temple.  Never  so  long 
as  that  stands  can  we  say  that  the  Lord  has  wholly 
turned  his  face  from  us,  that  he  purposes  another 
period  of  exile  and  captivity  to  befall  his  people. 
Therefore,  Mary,  I  shall  go  on  as  I  have  intended, 
warring  ag^ainst  the  Romans  and  doing  what  1  can 
to  hinder  their  advance  against  Jerusalem.  I  think 
that  the  war  may  last  longer  than  l  had  expected. 
Vespasian  will  have  heard  from  those  who,  like  the 
rabbi,  have  escaped  from  Jerusalem  what  is  going 
on  within  the  city,  and  knowing  the  great  strength 
of  its  walls,  and  judging  from  what  he  saw  at  Jota- 
pata  and  Gamala,  how  desperate  would  be  its 
resistance  were  he  to  appear  before  it,  he  may  well 
decide  to  leave  it  for  the  present,  suffering  the 
population  to  prey  upon  each  other,  to  consume 
their  provisions,  and  waste  their  strength  till,  when 
he  marches  against  it,  there  will  be  no  longer  men 
left  to  man  the  walls." 


260  ^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  I  thought  you  would  decide  so,  John,"  Mary 
said  quietly ;  "  and  much  as  I  love  you — for  I  do 
love  you,  John — I  would  rather  part  with  you  so, 
never  to  see  you  again,  than  that  you  should  draw 
back  now.  I  set  you  up  on  a  pedestal  before  I  knew 
that  it  was  you  who  was  my  hero,  and  I  would  not 
have  it  said  that  he  of  whom  such  high  hopes  were 
cherished  drew  back  from  the  enterprise  he  had 
taken  up.  Rather  would  I  mourn  for  you  all  my 
life  than  that  men  should  say  of  you.  This  is  he  of 
whom  we  said  he  is  the  deliverer,  out  who  shrank 
from  the  dangers  of  battle  and  threw  down  his 
country's  sword." 

"  Thank  you,  Mary.  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say 
so.  I  thought  that  I  was  right ;  but  it  was  very 
hard  so  to  decide.  And  now  that  you  agree  with 
me,  my  chief  cause  for  hanging  back  is  removed. 
Henceforth  I  shall  trouble  no  more  over  it.  My 
conscience  tells  me  that  I  am  right  to  go.  You  say 
go  also ;  therefore  now,  whatever  betides,  I  shall 
.not  blame  myself,  but  shall  feel  that  I  could  not 
have  taken  any  other  course." 

"  I  have  faith,  John,  that  you  will  come  back  to 
me  when  the  troubles  are  over.  I  believe  that 
whatever  may  happen  at  Jerusalem  you  will  be 
spared  to  me.  I  think  that  it  was  either  for  the 
country  or  tor  me  that  your  life  was  spared  alone 
of  all  those  that  fought  at  Jotapata,  and  I  mean  to 
keep  on  thinking  so.  It  will  keep  up  my  spirits 
while  you  are  away,  and  will  help  me  to  cheer  our 
mother." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  %^ 

"  If  the  Komans  do  not  move  upon  Jerusalem  I 
may  be  able  to  be  often  at  home.  Our  policy  will 
be  to  strike  a  blow ;  and  then,  when  the  Komans 
gather  in  force,  to  scatter  and  disappear ;  so  that  1 
may  often  be  home  until  the  time  comes  when  the 
enemy  gather  round  Jerusalem.  But  at  any  rate, 
Mary,  I  shall  try  and  believe  that  your  hope  is 
well  founded,  and  that  in  the  end  I  shall  return  alive 
to  you.  Certainly  I  shall  not  spare  my  life ;  for 
when  one  takes  up  the  post  of  a  leader  of  his  fel- 
lows he  must  never  hang  back  from  danger,  but 
must  be  always  in  the  front.  At  the  same  time  I 
shall  never  forget  that  you  are  thinking  and  pray- 
ing for  me,  and  will  never  throw  away  my  life  reck- 
lessly ;  and  if  the  time  comes  when  I  see  that  all  is 
lost,  that  fighting  is  no  longer  of  avail,  I  will  neither 
rush  into  the  enemy's  ranks  to  die,  nor  will  I  throw 
down  my  arms  and  die  unresisting,  nor  will  I  slay 
myself  with  my  own  weapons,  but  I  will  strive  in 
every  way  to  save  my  life  for  your  sake,  having 
done  all  that  I  could  for  our  country  and  the 
Temple." 

"  That  is  all  I  ask,  John.  I  am  quite  content  to 
wait  here  until  the  day  comes  that  you  shall  return ; 
and  then,  though  our  cause  be  lost,  our  country 
ruined,  and  God's  Temple  destroyed,  we  can  yet 
feel  that  God  has  been  good  and  merciful  to  us, 
even  if  we  be  driven  out  of  our  home,  and  have  to 
become  exiles  in  a  far  land," 

A  week  later  the  news  came  that  the  Eomans 
were  preparing  to  take  the  field.     The  young  men 


262  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

of  the  village  at  once  started  as  messengers  through 
the  country.  At  night  a  vast  pile  of  brushwood  was 
lighted  on  the  hill  above  Garaala,  and  answering 
fires  soon  blazed  out  from  other  heights.  At  the 
signal  men  left  their  homes  on  the  shores  of  Galilee, 
in  the  cities  of  the  plains,  in  the  mountains  of 
Persea  and  Batanaea.  Capitolias,  Gerisa  and  Pella, 
Sepphoris,  Caphernaum  and  Tiberias,  and  even  the 
towns  and  villages  almost  within  sight  of  Caesar's 
camp  at  Caesarea,  sent  their  contingents,  and  in 
twenty-four  hours  eight  thousand  armed  men  were 
gathered  on  the  slopes  of  Mount  Galaad. 

Each  man  brought  with  him  grain  sufficient  for  a 
week's  consumption,  and  all  had,  according  to  their 
means,  brought  money,  in  accbrdance  with  the  in- 
structions John  and  the  other  commanders  had 
issued.  For  John  held  that  although,  as  they  were 
fighting  for  the  country,  they  must,  if  necessary, 
live  upon  the  country,  yet  that  as  far  as  possible 
they  should  abstain  from  taking  food  without  pay- 
ment, and  so  run  the  risk  of  being  confounded  with 
the  bands  who,  under  the  cloak  of  patriotism, 
plundered  and  robbed  the  whole  country. 

The  bands  assembled,  each  under  their  leaders. 
It  was  easy  to  see  that  they  had  come  from  different 
localities.  Tarichea  and  Tiberias  had  both  sent  two 
companies,  and  the  aspect  of  these  differed  widely 
from  that  of  the  companies  of  peasants  raised  in 
the  villages  on  the  slopes  of  Hermon  or  among  the 
mountains  of  Peraea ;  but  all  seemed  animated  by  an 
equal  feeling  of  devotion  and  of  confidence  in  their 
young  leader. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  263 

John,  after  carefully  inspecting  his  own  band, 
visited  the  camps  of  the  other  companies,  and  was 
everywhere  received  with  acclamations.  He  ad- 
dressed each  company  in  turn,  not  only  urging  them 
to  show  bravery,  for  that  every  Jew  had  shown 
who  had  fought  against  the  Romans,  but  pointing 
out  that  far  more  than  this  was  required.  While 
they  must  be  ready  to  give  their  lives  when  need 
be,  they  must  be  equally  ready  to  shun  the  fight,  to 
scatter  and  fly,  when  their  leaders  gave  the  orders. 
It  was  not  by  bravery  that  they  could  hope  to 
overcome  the  Romans,  but  by  harassing  them  night 
and  day,  by  attacking  their  camps,  cutting  off  their 
convoys,  and  giving  them  no  rest.  Above  all, 
obedience  was  required. 

"  Look  at  the  Roman  soldiers,"  he  said.  *'  They 
have  no  wills  of  their  own.  They  advance  or  re- 
treat ;  they  attack  when  they  know  that  those  who 
first  attack  must  die ;  they  support  all  hardships 
and  fatigues ;  they  accomplish  marvels  in  the  way 
of  work ;  they  give  themselves  up,  in  fact,  to  obey 
the  orders  given  them,  never  questioning  whether 
those  orders  are  the  best,  but  blindly  obeying  them ; 
and  so  it  must  be  here  if  we  are  to  fight  the 
Romans  with  a  chance  of  success.  The  most  useful 
man  here — the  man  who  will  do  best  service  to  his 
country — is  not  he  who  is  strongest  or  bravest,  but 
he  who  is  most  prompt  in  his  obedience  to  orders. 
The  true  hero  is  he  who  gives  up  his  will  and,  if 
Heed  be,  his  life,  at  the  order  of  his  leader.  You 
have  chosen  your  own  oflBcers,  and  I  have  con- 


534  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

firmed  the  choice  that  you  have  made.  It  is  for 
you  no-w  to  give  them  your  support  and  assistance. 
There  will  be  hardships — these  must  be  borne  with- 
out complaint ;  there  will  be  delays — these  must  be 
supported  with  patience ;  there  will  be  combats  and 
dangers — these  must  be  met  with  confidence  and 
courage,  believing  that  God  will  give  you  success, 
and  that  although  the  issue  of  the  strife  is  in  his 
hands,  each  of  you  should  do  his  best  by  his  conduct 
and  courage  to  gain  success. 

"  We  shall  not  act  in  one  great  body,  for  we  could 
not  find  food  in  the  villages  for  so  large  a  number  ; 
moreover,  to  do  so  would  be  to  give  the  Romans  an 
opportunity  of  massing  their  forces  against  us,  of 
surrounding  and  destroying  us.  On  great  occasions 
and  for  a  great  object  we  may  gather  together  and 
unite  our  forces.  At  other  times,  although  acting 
upon  a  general  plan.and  in  concert  with  each  other, 
each  company  will  work  independently.  So  we 
shall  elude  the  Romans.  When  they  strike  at  us, 
we  shall  be  gone ;  when  they  try  to  inclose  us,  we 
shall  disperse ;  when  they  pursue  one  body,  others 
will  fall  upon  them ;  when  they  think  that  we  are 
in  one  part  of  the  country,  we  will  be  striking  a 
blow  in  another ;  when  they  fancy  themselves  in 
security,  we  will  fall  upon  them.  We  will  give 
them  no  rest  or  peace." 

John's  addresses  were  received  with  shouts  of 
approval.  By  the  great  majority  of  those  present 
he  was  now  seen  for  the  first  time ;  but  his  ap- 
pearance,  the  tone    of  authority   with   which   he 


FOR  TEE  TBMPLB.  265 

spoke,  his  air  of  confidence,  and  the  manner  in 
which  he  had  evidently  thought  out  the  plans  of 
action,  and  prepared  for  all  contingencies,  confirmed 
the  reports  which  they  had  heard  of  him,  and  the 
conviction  that  he  was  a  specially  appointed  leader 
was  deepened  and  strengthened.  How  otherwise 
could  one  who  was  a  mere  youth  speak  with  such 
firmness  and  authority ! 

The  memories  of  the  Jews  were  stored  with 
legends  of  the  prowess  of  Judas  the  Maccabean  and 
his  brothers,  and  of  other  leaders  who  had  from 
time  to  time  arisen  and  enabled  them  to  clear  their 
country  of  oppressors,  and  they  were  thus  prepared 
to  accept  -willingly  those  who  appeared  to  them 
specially  sent  as  leaders,  and  the  question  of  age 
and  experience  weighed  but  little  with  them.  As 
none  had  been  trained  as  soldiers,  there  were  none 
who  had  to  set  aside  superior  claims. 

Samuel  had  been  chosen  as  a  child,  Saul  was  the 
youngest  of  his  brethren,  and  David  a  lad  when  he 
slew  the  champion  of  the  Philistines.  Such  being 
the  case,  the  youth  of  John  was  no  drawback  in  the 
eyes  of  his  followers ;  and,  indeed,  the  fact  that, 
being  still  a  youth,  he  had  yet  escaped  from  Jota- 
pata,  where  all  his  elders  had  died,  and  that  he  had 
inflicted  a  heavy  blow  upon  the  Komans  when  all 
others  who  had  opposed  them  had  perished,  seemed 
in  itself  a  proof  that  he  was  under  special  protection. 

John  probably  believed  in  himself  less  than  did 
any  man  among  his  followers.  Piously  and  de- 
voutly brought  up,  he  saw  in  the  two  escapes  that 


266  V'OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

he  had  had  from  death  at  the  hands  of  the  Komans 
signs  of  a  special  protection  of  God.  But  while  he 
hoped  that  he  might  be  able  to  do  the  Romans 
much  harm,  he  had  not  any  conviction  that  he  was 
destined  to  deliver  his  country.  He  had  none  of 
the  fervent  enthusiasm  of  men  who  are  convinced 
that  they  have  a  divine  mission,  and  that  miracles 
would  be  wrought  in  his  favor. 

He  had  seen  the  tremendous  strength  of  the 
Roman  army  as  it  defiled  from  the  mountains  be- 
fore Jotapata.  He  had  learned  the  power  of  their 
war  engines,  and  had  evidence  of  their  discipline, 
their  bravery,  and  perseverance,  and  had  no  idea 
that  such  a  force  as  that  gathered  round  him  could 
cope  with  the  legions  of  Rome.  Still,  that  firm  and 
pious  belief  which  was  so  deeply  ingrained  in  the 
heart  of  the  Jews,  that  God  specially  interested 
himself  in  them,  that  he  personally  directed  every- 
thing that  befell  them,  and  intervened  in  every  in- 
cident of  their  history,  had  its  effect  upon  him. 

His  training  taught  him  that  he  was  an  instrument 
in  God's  hands ;  and  although  he  hardly  even 
hoped  that  he  was  destined  to  be  a  deliverer  of 
Jerusalem,  he  thought  that  God  might  intend  him 
to  do  great  things  for  his  people.  At  any  rate, 
while  never  claiming  any  special  authority,  or  to 
have,  more  than  those  around  him,  any  special 
mission,  he  was  careful  not  to  damp  the  enthusiasm 
of  his  followers  by  disclaiming  the  mission  they 
attributed  to  him,  knowing  how  much  such  a  belief 
added  to  his  authority  and  to  the  efficiency  of  the 
force  under  his  command. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE,  3^7 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

DESULTOKY    FIGHTING. 

After  having  gone  through  the  camps  of  the 
whole  of  the  companies,  John  assembled  the  leaders 
round  him  and  held  a  council  as  to  future  operations. 
It  was  agreed  that  it  would  be  best  to  leave  alone 
for  the  present  the  legion  at  Scythopolis,  for 
rumors  of  the  gathering  would  almost  certainly 
have  reached  that  city,  and  the  Komans  might  be 
on  their  guard  against  attack.  It  was  resolved, 
therefore,  to  cross  the  Jordan  a  few  miles  below 
Tarichea,  to  traverse  the  hills  between  En  dor  and 
Gelbus,  and  b}'  a  long  march  to  gain  the  range  of 
hills  extending  from  Carmel  to  Samaria  and  form- 
ing the  boundary  between  the  latter  province  and 
Galilee.  They  would  then  be  looking  down  upon 
the  camp  of  Vespasian  at  Cesaraea. 

The  country  between  these  hills  and  the  city  was 
too  flat  for  them  to  engage  with  any  hopes  of  suc- 
cess, for  although  by  a  surprise  they  might  inflict 
great  damage  on  the  Romans,  they  would  be  wholly 
unable  to  withstand  the  charges  of  the  Roman 
horse.  They  would  therefore  maintain  a  lookout 
from  the  mountains,  and  attack  the  Roman  camp 


268  ^R  THE  TEMPLE. 

the  first  time  it  was  pitched  on  ground  whence  a 
rapid  retreat  could  be  effected  to  the  hills. 

As  the  Jordan  was  unfordable  between  Scythopo- 
lis  and  the  lake,  all  who  could  not  swim  were  or- 
dered to  carry  with  them  on  their  march  down  to 
the  river  logs  of  light  wood  sufficient  to  support 
them  in  crossing. 

Those  who  could  swim  were  to  assist  in  piloting 
over  those  unable  to  do  so.  This  would  be  a  work 
of  no  great  difficulty,  for  the  width  of  the  Jordan 
is  not  great,  and  it  was  only  for  a  short  distance  in 
the  center  that  it  would  be  unfordable.  As  was  to 
be  expected,  the  companies  raised  near  the  shores 
of  the  lake  contained  but  few  men  unable  to  swim, 
while  those  from  the  mountain  districts  were  al- 
most wholly  ignorant  of  the  art. 

The  bands  were  therefore  linked  together  for  the 
purpose  of  crossing,  one  of  those  from  the  plains 
and  a  company  of  mountaineers  marching  down  to 
the  stream  together.  The  preparations  were  all 
complete  by  the  afternoon,  and  just  as  it  was  be- 
coming twilight  the  leading  bands  arrived  on  the 
banks  of  the  Jordan.  The  crossing  was  effected 
without  difficulty,  and  in  two  hours  all  were  over. 
Then  the  companies  formed  up  under  their  leaders 
and  started  independently,  men  who  knew  the  coun- 
try well  being  assigned  as  guides  to  each. 

They  crossed  the  hill  between  Endor  and  Gelbus, 
marched  through  Jezrael,  and  then,  just  as  morn- 
ing was  breaking,  ascended  the  slopes  of  Mount 
Carmel,  leaving  Legio  on  their  right.     It  was  a 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  269 

march  of  about  fifty  miles,  but  the  men  were  all 
active  and  vigorous,  lightly  armed,  and  sustained 
by  enthusiasm  and  excitement,  and  not  a  man 
dropped  behind  during  the  journey.  Once  among 
the  hills,  they  threw  themselves  down  for  a  rest  of 
some  hours.  From  the  crest  of  the  hill  it  was  but 
some  twelve  miles  down  to  Cesaraea,  and  the  blue 
line  of  the  sea  extended  right  and  left  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach. 

In  the  afternoon  Jonas  was  sent  down  to  the  city 
to  learn  how  matters  stood  there,  and  when  Ves- 
pasian was  going  to  move.  He  was  to  remain  there 
that  night  and  return  with  the  news  on  the  follow- 
ing morning.  He  came  back,  however,  at  mid- 
night, saying  that  the  Romans  had  marched  on  the 
previous  day,  that  they  had  taken  the  southern 
road  which  skirted  the  mountains  for  some  distance, 
and  would  probabl}'^  cross  the  central  range  at 
Sichem,  and  either  proceed  to  Scythopolis  or  join 
the  legion  thence  on  the  plain  of  Aulon,  west  of  the 
Jordan.  This  was  a  disappointment,  but  at  day- 
break the  companies  were  afoot. 

It  was  decided  they  should  march  separately, 
each  taking  its  own  line  to  the  east,  following  in- 
frequented  roads,  and  keeping  among  the  hills  as 
far  as  possible  so  that  no  report  of  the  passage  of 
any  large  gathering  of  men  should  reach  the  Ro- 
mans. Although  no  time  had  been  lost,  John,  when 
he  approached  the  Jordan,  learned  that  Vespasian 
had  already  joined  the  legion  from  Scythopolis  and 
had  crossed  the  river  into  Peraea,  and  was  marching 
with  all  speed  against  Gadara,  its  chief  city. 


370  VOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

Halting  for  the  night  near  the  Jordan,  John 
crossed  the  river  by  a  ford  next  morning,  and  then 
moved  forward  cautiously  to  commence  operations 
as  soon  as  the  Romans  were  engaged  upon  the  siege 
of  the  city.  But  ere  many  hours  had  passed  he 
learned  that  the  inhabitants  had  sent  forward  a 
deputation  to  Yespasian,  and  that  the  war  party, 
taken  by  surprise  by  the  rapid  advance  of  the  Ro- 
mans, had  hastily  evacuated  the  city  after  slaying 
many  of  those  who  were  willing  to  admit  the  Ro- 
mans. 

When  Yespasian  arrived  he  had  been  received 
with  acclamations  by  the  inhabitants,  who  had  al- 
ready destroyed  a  portion  of  their  walls,  to  prove 
that  the}""  never  thought  of  resistance.  Having  thus 
established  the  Roman  authority  in  Peraea,  Yespa- 
sian left  a  garrison  there  and  set  out  with  the  main 
body  of  his  army  for  CaBsarea,  leaving  a  garrison  in 
the  town  and  dispatching  Placidus  with  five  hun- 
dred horse  and  three  thousand  foot  in  pursuit  of  the 
fugitives  who  had  fled  from  Gadara  before  he  en- 
tered it. 

As  Yespasian  marched  back  the  band  under  John 
began  their  work.  Wherever  the  road  led  through 
the  mountains  they  rolled  down  rocks  upon  the 
column.  The  light-armed  allies  of  the  Romans  were 
sent  out  on  each  flank,  and  climbing  the  hills,  at- 
tacked their  assailants.  As  soon,  however,  as  they 
neared  the  crests,  which  were,  as  they  believed,  held 
by  small  parties  only  of  the  enemy,  the  Jews  rushed 
upon  them  with  fury,  overthrew  them,  and  drove 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  37I 

them  down  the  hills  until  the  heavy-armed  troops 
were  obliged  to  advance  to  their  assistance,  upon 
which  the  Jews  at  once  fell  back  to  the  higher 
slopes. 

Growing  bolder  by  success  they  even  ventured  to 
rush  down  upon  the  baggage,  breaking  through  its 
guard  and  killing  great  numbers  of  the  animals.  A 
party  of  Roman  horse  which  came  up  at  full  gallop 
was  charged  just  as  they  reached  the  spot  by  two 
more  companies  from  the  hill,  and  these,  before  the 
Romans  could  face  about  and  oppose  their  line  of 
long  spears  to  their  assailants,  were  among  them, 
stabbing  the  horses,  leaping  up  behind  the  soldiers 
and  slaying  them  with  their  knives,  and  throwing 
the  whole  into  confusion.  Then  the  sound  of  a  horn 
was  heard  on  the  hillside,  and  the  whole  of  the  Jews 
instantly  relinquished  their  work  and  took  to  the 
mountains  just  as  a  large  body  of  cavalry,  headed 
by  Titus,  came  thundering  up. 

At  night  the  Romans  were  disturbed  by  constant 
alarms.  Men  crept  up  to  the  sentries  and  slew 
them  in  the  darkness.  Xumbers  of  the  enemy  pen- 
etrated into  the  camp,  killing  the  soldiers  as  they 
slept,  hocking  the  horses,  and  setting  fire  to  the 
camp  in  several  places ;  and  it  was  not  until  the 
whole  army  got  under  arms  that  the  attack  ceased. 
The  next  day  they  were  similarly  harassed  upon  the 
march,  and  it  was  not  until  they  had  crossed  the 
mountains  and  descended  on  to  the  western  plain 
that  the  Jews  drew  off,  highly  satisfied  with  the  re- 
sult of  their  first  encounter  with  the  Romans.  Their 
loss  had  been  slight,  not  more  than  twenty  having 


272  FOn  THE  TEMPLE. 

fallen,  while  they  had  killed  more  than  two  hundred 
of  the  light-armed  troops,  had  inflicted  some  loss 
upon  the  Romans  themselves,  had  slain  numbers  of 
baggage  animals,  and  had  shown  the  enemy  that 
however  formidable  the  Roman  soldiers  might  be 
on  the  plains,  the  legions  of  Yespasian  were  no 
more  invincible  than  was  that  of  Cestius  among  the 
hills.  They  regretted,  however,  that  instead  of  en- 
gaging the  main  army  they  had  not  followed  the 
force  under  Placidus,  of  whose  dispatch  from  Gadara 
they  had  not  learned  until  it  was  too  late. 

The  fugitives  of  whom  Placidus  was  in  pursuit 
had  taken  possession  of  the  village  of  Bethennabris. 
He  pursued  the  stratagem  which  had  already  suc- 
ceeded so  well.  He  feigned  a  ^retreat,  and  the  Jews 
sallied  out  and  attacked  him.  He  cut  oflF  the 
greater  part  from  returning  to  the  village,  and  at 
night  attacked  Bethennabris,  captured  it,  and  put 
all  within  it  to  the  sword.  Those  who  had  escaped 
were  joined  by  great  numbers  of  the  country  people, 
and  made  for  the  Jordan,  intending  to  cross  by  the 
ford  opposite  Jericho,  but  the  river  was  swollen 
with  rain  and  they  were  unable  to  cross.  Placidus 
overtook  and  attacked  them.  Yast  numbers  were 
killed,  and  more  were  driven  into  the  river  and 
drowned. 

Fifteen  thousand  fell,  twenty-five  hundred  were 
taken  prisoners,  with  a  vast  number  of  animals 
of  all  kinds.  Placidus  then  reduced  the  whole  of 
Persea  and  the  coast  of  the  Dead  Sea  as  far  as 
Machaerus. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  373 

Yespasian  soon  moved  down  from  Caesarea, 
keeping  near  the  sea,  and  capturing  Antipatris, 
Lydda,  and  Thamna,  and  blocking  Emmaus ;  then 
continuing  his  course  southward  he  wasted  the 
country  to  the  frontier  of  Idumea,  and  captured  the 
towns  Betaris  and  Caphartobas,  putting  to  the 
sword  about  ten  thousand  men.  Then  he  marched 
back  by  Emmaus  and  Sichem,  descended  the  hills 
and  marched  to  Jericho,  where  he  was  joined  by 
Placidus  with  the  troops  from  Peraea.  The  city 
had  been  desterted  by  its  inhabitants,  and  the 
Roman  army  rested  here  for  some  time,  until,  just 
as  Yespasian  was  about  to  march  upon  Jerusalem, 
the  news  arrived  of  the  death  of  I^ero,  and,  un- 
willing to  weaken  his  army  by  besieging  the  city, 
strong  in  itself  and  defended  by  a  host,  Yespasian 
withdrew  to  Caesarea,  and  for  another  two  years 
Jerusalem  had  time  for  preparation  or  submission. 

As  Yespasian's  march  had,  except  when  he  was 
crossing  the  mountains  from  Emmaus  to  Sichem, 
lain  entirely  in  the  plains,  John  had  been  able  to 
do  but  little.  Half  the  force  had  been  sent  across 
the  Jordan,  and  its  operations  had  greatly  added  to 
the  difficulties  Placidus  had  met  with  in  subduing 
Peraea.  The  other  companies  had  closely  followed 
the  march  of  Yespasian,  had  made  many  attacks 
upon  parties  dispatched  to  pillage  the  country,  and 
after  the  Romans  marched  north  again  besieged 
and  captured  some  of  the  small  places  in  which 
they  had  left  garrisons.  They  had  united  when  the 
two  Romans  armies  met  at  Jericho,  and  were  pre- 


274  POR  THE  TEMPLR 

pared  to  defend  desperately  the  rugged  mountain 
roads  leading  thence  to  Jerusalem,  when  to  their 
surprise  they  saw  the  Roman  host  moving  away  to 
the  north  again. 

As  soon  as  they  ascertained  that  Yespasian  had 
for  the  present  entii  eiy  abandoned  the  idea  of  at- 
tacking Jerusalem  and  that  his  troops  had  gone 
into  permanent  quarters,  John  held  a  council  with 
the  other  commanders.  Some  were  in  favor  of 
remaining  in  arms,  and  of  constantly  attacking  the 
Roman  garrisons ;  others  were  for  scattering  and 
returning  to  their  homes,  from  which  they  had  now 
been  absent  three  months,  until  the  Romans  again 
set  themselves  in  motion  against  Jerusalem.  Opin- 
ions were  about  equally  divided,  and  John  re- 
mained silent  until  all  had  spoken  ;  then  he  said : 

"I  think  that  we  had  better  disperse.  If  we 
remained  in  arms  we  might  gain  some  successes, 
we  might  surprise  and  slay  some  Roman  garrisons, 
but  the  others  would  speedily  prepare  themselves 
against  attack  by  strengtheing  their  walls  and  tak- 
ing every  precaution.  But  did  we  succeed  in  de- 
stroying,the  garrisons  in  every  one  of  the  towns 
they  have  captured,  of  what  benefit  would  it  be  ? 
It  would  rather  excite  the  Romans  yet  more  against 
the  people  ;  yet  more  would  they  march  through 
the  land,  burning,  destroying,  and  slaying.  They 
would  turn  the  country  into  a  desert,  and  either 
slay  or  carry  away  all  the  people  captives. 

"We  should  irritate  without  seriously  injuring 
the  Romans,  and  the  very  people,  whose  sufferings 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  275 

we  should  heighten  by  our  work,  would  turn 
against  us.  Now  that  the  whole  country  has  been 
scoured,  all  the  towns  which  have  resisted  destroyed, 
and  all  the  men  who  defended  them  put  to  the 
sword,  there  may  be  breathing  space  for  the  land 
until  the  Romans  advance  against  Jerusalem.  It 
may  be  that  those  in  Jerusalem  may  come  to  terms 
with  the  Romans,  in  which  case  there  need  not  be 
any  more  bloodshed.  Therefore  I  say  that  it  seems 
to  me  that  it  would  be  wrong  to  continue  the  war 
so  long  as  the  Romans  rest  peacefuU}'  in  their 
camps ;  but  should  Jerusalem  have  need  of  us  in  her 
defense,  every  one  of  us  will  again  take  the  field." 

John's  counsel  was  finally  adopted.  Many  of  the 
men  were  longing  to  return  to  their  homes,  w^here 
they  knew  that  they  would  be  welcomed  and  hon- 
ored for  the  deeds  they  had  performed  ;  for  although 
they  had  achieved  no  grand  successes,  they  had 
done  much  by  compelling  the  Romans  to  keep  to- 
gether, and  had  thus  saved  many  towns  from  plun- 
der and  destruction.  Their  operations  too  had 
created  a  fresh  sensation  of  hope,  and  had  aroused 
the  people  from  the  dull  despair  in  which  they  were 
sinking.  Had  messengers  been  now  sent  out  on  all 
sides  a  great  multitude  of  men  would  have  col- 
lected ;  but  John  knew  well  that  numbers  would  be 
of  no  avail,  and  that  in  a  pitched  battle  the  Romans 
could  defeat  many  times  their  number  of  the  un- 
disciplined and  ill-armed  Jews. 

John  himself  stood  even  higher  in  the  estimation 
of  his  followers  than  he  did  at  the  commencement 


27t}  FOE  2UE  TEMPLE. 

of  the  campaign.  His  own  band  had  been  particu- 
larly successful,  and  had  several  times  encountered 
parties  of  the  Romans  almost  equal  to  themselves 
in  numbers.  His  plans  had  been  always  well  laid, 
and  on  no  occasion  had  the  Romans  cut  off  and 
killed  any  numerous  parties.  Altogether  the  just- 
ness of  his  views  had  been  established  by  experi- 
ence, the  men  had  gained  confidence  in  themselves 
and  in  him,  and  now  only  regretted  that  they  had 
had  no  opportunity  of  attacking  the  Romans  in 
anything  like  equal  numbers. 

Therefore  when  the  news  spread  that  John  was 
of  opinion  that  the  wisest  course  was  for  them  to 
return  to  their  homes  and  there  to  hold  themselves 
in  readiness  to  reassemble  whenever  the  Romans 
moved  against  Jerusalem,  the  decision  was  willingly 
accepted,  and  a  few  hours  after  the  Roman  column 
had  marched  out  from  Jericho  the  Jewish  com- 
panies started  for  their  respective  homes,  all  prom- 
ising to  take  up  arms  again  when  the  signal  was 
given. 

Although  the  success  that  had  attended  them  had 
not  been  so  great  as  they  had  hoped,  it  had  been 
sufficiently  marked  to  inspire  them  with  confidence 
in  themselves  and  their  leader;  but  few  lives  had 
been  lost,  and  they  had  learned  that  so  long  as  they 
persisted  in  the  tactics  their  leader  had  laid  down 
there  was  but  little  chance  of  the  Romans  striking 
a  heavy  blow  at  them. 

Surprise  was  mingled  with  joy  in  the  greetings 
John  received  on  his  return  home. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  277 

"  l^o  disaster  has  befallen  your  bands,  I  hope, 
John  ?"  Simon  asked  anxiously.  "  We  heard  that 
the  Komans  had  reached  Jericho,  and  we  have  been 
praying  the  Lord  night  and  day  for  his  protection 
for  you,  believing  that  you  would  doubtless  fall 
upon  the  enemy  as  they  marched  through  the  moun- 
tains toward  Jerusalem." 

"  We  should  have  done  so,  father,  and  already 
had  taken  up  a  position  on  the  heights  commanding 
the  roads,  but  there  was  no  fighting,  simply  because 
Vespasian  has  marched  away  with  his  army  to 
Ceesarea,  and  will  not,  as  we  believe,  make  any 
movement  against  Jerusalem  this  year." 

"  The  Lord  be  praised !"  Simon  said  piously. 
"  There  is  time  yet  for  the  city  to  repent  in  sack- 
cloth and  ashes  for  its  sins,  and  to  come  to  such 
terms  with  the  Romans  as  may  save  the  Temple." 

"  So  far  as  I  have  heard,  father,  Jerusalem  is 
little  likely  either  to  repent  or  to  negotiate.  The 
news  of  what  is  passing  there  is  even  worse  than 
that  which  the  Rabbi  Solomon  told  us ;  but  I  will 
not  pain  you  by  talking  of  these  matters  now.  You 
have  heard  what  we  have  been  doing.  We  have 
done  no  great  deeds,  but  we  have  harassed  the 
Romans  sorely,  so  that  they  could  not  say  that  they 
held  the  country  beyond  the  flight  of  their  arrows. 
We  have  taken  many  cities  where  they  had  left 
small  garrisons,  we  have  cut  off  very  many  small 
parties,  have  captured  many  flocks  and  herds  which 
they  had  carried  off,  and  have  lost  but  few  men  while 
inflicting  much  damage.     Moreover,  we  have  gained 


278  ^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

experience  and  confidence,  and  when  the  time 
comes  for  fighting  hand  to  hand  with  the  Romans 
we  shall  enter  upon  the  struggle  without  fear." 

"  But  what  can  have  induced  the  Romans  to  re- 
tire when  almost  within  sight  of  Jerusalem  ?" 

"Partly,  no  doubt,  because  Yespasian  considered 
it  better  to  let  the  Jews  go  on  slaying  each  other 
than  to  waste  his  strength  in  killing  them;  but 
partly,  I  believe,  because  of  news  from  Rome. 
We  heard  a  rumor  that  a  messenger  had  arrived  in 
the  Roman  camp  with  the  news  that  Nero  is  dead, 
and  Yespasian  may  well  wish  to  keep  his  army  to- 
gether to  watch  the  course  of  events." 

This  was  indeed  Yespasian's  main  object  in  re- 
tiring, and  for  nearly  two  years  he  kept  his  army  in 
hand,  waiting  for  his  opportunity,  while  Galba, 
Otho,  and  Yitellius  in  turn  gained  and  lost  the 
imperial  crown.  John  remained  at  home,  except 
that  he  went  out  with  the  companies  in  the  spring 
of  69,  when  Yespasian  for  a  time  set  his  troops  in 
motion.  As  before,  the  Romans  marched  down 
into  the  south  of  Judea  and  reduced  the  country  on 
the  western  shore  of  the  Dead  Sea,  while  Cerealis 
entered  Idumea  and  completely  subdued  it,  so  that 
there  now  remained  only  the  towns  of  Herodium, 
Masada,  Machaerus,  and  Jerusalem  itself  which  still 
remained  unconquered. 

John's  troops  had  pursued  precisely  the  same 
tactics  as  in  the  previous  year,  and  had  contented 
themselves  with  harassing  the  Romans  whenever 
the  latter  entered  difficult  country,  and  in  prevent- 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  279 

ing  them  from  sending  out  small  foraging  parties. 
John  himself  would  not  have  called  his  men  under 
arms,  as  he  saw  that  no  real  advantage  was  gained ; 
but  the  men  were  eager  to  go,  and  he  saw  that 
there  was  a  considerable  advantage  in  their  con- 
tinued practice  in  arms,  in  the  quickness  with  which 
they  worked  together,  and  in  the  confidence  which 
they  had  in  themselves. 

The  company  suffered  but  slight  loss  in  the  oper- 
ations, but  John  himself  had  an  adventure  which 
nearly  cost  him  his  life.  Vespasian  with  the  bulk 
of  his  army  was  encamped  at  Hebron,  while  Titus 
was  at  Carmelia,  near  the  Dead  Sea.  John's  com- 
pany were  in  the  hills  near  Hebron,  and  he,  wishing 
to  examine  the  Roman  position  at  Carmelia  and  the 
road  between  the  two  towns,  started  by  himself. 
He  carried,  as  usual,  his  buckler,  two  light  javelins; 
and  a  sword.  The  road  led  down  a  series  of  pre- 
cipitous valleys,  and  John,  knowing  that  he  could 
instantly  gain  the  hills  out  of  reach  of  danger,  did 
not  hesitate  to  descend  into  it. 

He  was  now  nineteen,  strong,  active,  and  sinewy. 
The  position  in  which  he  had  been  placed  had  given 
him  the  habit  of  command,  and  the  heavy  responsi- 
bility which  had  devolved  upon  him  had  added  two 
or  three  years  to  his  apparent  age.  He  was  taller 
than  most  of  his  countrymen,  broad  across  the 
shoulders,  and  a  match  for  any  single  man  under 
his  command.  As  he  walked  along  he  heard  the 
sound  of  a  horse's  footsteps  coming  up  the  valley. 
He  sprang  a  short  distance  up  the  craggy  hillside, 


280  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

and  then  paused  as  a  single  horseman  came  in 
sight. 

As  he  came  a  little  nearer  John  saw  by  the  splen- 
dor of  his  armor,  and  that  of  the  horse  he  was 
riding,  that  he  was  an  olftcer  of  rank  and  distinc- 
tion. John  scorned  to  fly  before  a  single  foe,  and 
stood  quietly  watching  him  till  he  came  nearly 
abreast  of  him.  The  horseman  reined  up  his  charger, 
and  without  a  word  seized  his  javelin  and  hurled  it 
at  the  armed  figure  standing  on  the  hillside  some 
thirty  feet  above  him.  John  sprang  lightly  aside, 
and  the  missile  struck  the  rock  with  a  sharp  clang 
close  to  him.  In  return  he  threw  a  javelin  at  the 
Koman,  which  struck  him  on  the  armor  and  fell 
blunted. 

"  Well  thrown  !"  the  Roman  said  calmly,  and  hurled 
a  second  javelin.  The  stroke  was  too  swift  to  avoid  ; 
but  John  threw  up  his  buckler  so  as  to  receive  it  at 
an  angle,  and  the  javelin  glanced  off  and  flew  far 
up  the  hillside.  This  time  John  sprang  down  the 
rocks  with  the  activity  of  a  goat  till  within  a  few 
feet  of  the  Eoman.  Then  he  threw  his  javelin  at 
the  horse,  with  so  true  an  aim  that  it  struck  at  a 
spot  unprotected  by  armor,  and  the  animal  fell. 

With  an  exclamation  of  anger  the  Roman  threw 
himself  off  as  the  animal  sank  beneath  his  legs.  He 
had  already  drawn  his  sword  as  John  approached, 
and  stood  at  once  on  the  defensive.  Without  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation  John  sprang  at  him,  and  the  com- 
bat commenced.  John  trusted  to  his  activity,  while 
the  Roman  had  an  immense  advantage  in  his  heavy 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  281 

armor,  John  being  unprotected  save  by  his  buckler. 
The  Eoraan  stood  calm  and  confident,  while  John 
attacked,  moving  quickly  round  and  round  him, 
springing  in  to  deliver  a  blow,  and  then  bounding 
out  of  reach  of  the  sweep  of  the  heavy  Eoman 
sword. 

For  some  time  the  combat  continued.  John  had 
received  two  or  three  severe  wounds,  while  althouofh 
the  Koman  was  bleeding  his  armor  protected  him 
from  any  serious  hurt.  Suddenly  John  sprang  in 
at  the  Roman,  throwing  himself  with  all  his  force 
against  him ;  he  partially  warded  with  his  sword 
the  blow  which  the  Roman  struck  at  him  as  he 
came  in,  but  his  weapon  was  beaten  down,  and  the 
Roman  blade  cut  through  his  thick  head-dress.  But 
the  impetus  of  his  spring  was  sufficient.  The  Eo- 
man, taken  by  surprise  by  this  sudden  attack,  tot- 
tered, and  then  fell  with  a  crash,  John  falling  on 
the  top  of  him, 

John  was  almost  blinded  by  the  blood  which 
streamed  down  his  forehead  from  the  blow  he  had 
last  received  ;  but  he  dashed  it  aside,  seized  his  long 
knife,  and  in  another  moment  would  have  slain  his 
enemy  had  not  the  latter  exclaimed  : 

"  Strike,  Jew  !     I  am  Titus." 

John  was  confused  by  the  last  blow  he  had  re- 
ceived ;  but  a  thousand  thoughts  whirled  in  his 
brain.  For  an  instant  he  grasped  the  knife  more 
firmly  to  slay  the  son  of  the  chief  enemy  of  his 
country  ;  then  the  possibility  of  carrying  him  away 
a  captive  occurred  to  him ;  but  he  saw  that  this 


282  ^^  THE  TEMPLE. 

was  out  of  the  question.     Then  another  thought 
flashed  across  his  brain. 

"  Swear,"  he  said  in  Greek,  for  he  was  ignorant 
of  Latin,  "  by  your  gods,  to  spare  the  Temple,  or  I 
will  kill  you.'? 

There  was  a  moment's  hesitation.  The  knife  was 
already  descending,  when  Titus  exclaimed  in  the 
same  language  : 

"I  swear  to  do  all  in  my  power  to  save  the 
Temple." 

John's  knife  fell  from  his  hand.  He  tried  to  rise 
to  his  feet ;  then  everything  seemed  to  swim  round, 
and  he  fell  insensible.  Titus  rose  to  his  feet ;  he 
was  shaken  by  the  fall,  and  he  too  had  lost  much 
blood.  Panting  from  his  exertions  he  looked  down 
upon  his  prostrate  foe,  and  the  generosity  which 
was  the  prevailing  feature  of  his  character,  except 
when  excited  in  battle,  mastered  him. 

"By  Hercules,"  he  exclaimed,  "that  is  a  gallant 
youth,  though  he  is  a  Jew,  and  he  has  well-nigh 
made  an  end  of  me !  What  will  Vespasian  say 
when  he  hears  that  I  have  been  beaten  in  fair  fiffht, 
and  owe  my  life  to  the  mercy  of  a  Jew  !  How  they 
think  of  their  temple,  these  Jews !  Why,  I  would 
uot  injure  it  were  it  in  my  power  to  do  so.  Have 
not  our  emperors  sent  offerings  there  ?  Besides,  we 
war  not  with  the  gods  of  the  people  we  conquer. 
Ah,  here  come  Plancus  and  the  others !  This  will 
be  a  lesson  to  me  not  to  trust  myself  alone  among 
these  mountains  again.  It  is  the  first  time  I  have 
done  so,  and  H  shall  be  the  last." 


FOR  THE  TEMP  LB.  333 

A  messenger  had,  in  fact,  arrived  at  Carinelia 
with  an  order  from  Yespasian  for  him  to  go  to 
Hebron,  as  he  had  a  desire  to  speak  with  him,  and 
ordering  Plancus,  a  centurion,  to  follow  with  his 
troop,  Titus  had  sprung  on  his  horse  and  ridden  off 
at  once.  The  Eomans  were  soon  upon  the  spot, 
and  were  loud  in  exclamation  of  surprise  and  grief 
at  seeing  their  commander  covered  with  dust,  and 
bleeding  from  several  wounds,  while  his  horse  lay 
dead  beside  him.  To  their  inquiries  whether  he 
was  seriously  wounded,  Titus  replied  lightly  : 

"  I  am  more  dirty  than  hurt.  Though,  had  it  not 
been  for  my  armor,  there  would  have  been  a  dif- 
ferent tale  to  tell,  for  these  Jews  fight  like  demons. 
As  you  see,  he  first  slew  my  horse  with  his  javelin, 
and  then  we  fought  it  out  on  foot." 

"  Was  there  only  this  one  ?"  the  centurion  asked 
in  surprise,  pointing  to  John's  body. 

"  Only  that  one,"  Titus  said,  "  and  he  nearly  got 
the  best  of  it.  Fighting  with  these  Jews  is  like 
fighting  with  wild  cats,  so  fierce  are  they  in  the 
attack,  and  so  quick  are  their  movements.  I  tell 
you  that  for  a  moment  my  life  was  at  his  mercy. 
See  if  he  is  dead,  Plancus." 

"No,  he  breathes,"  Plancus  said,  stooping  over 
him. 

"  Let  four  of  the  men  make  a  litter  with  their 
spears,"  Titus  said,  "  and  take  him  down  to  Car- 
melia,  and  let  my  own  leech  attend  him.  I  would 
gladly  save  his  life  if  I  can.  I  began  the  fray,  and 
truly  he  has  shown  himself  so  gallant  a  young  man 
that  I  would  not  that  he  should  die." 


284  S'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Accordingly,  when  John  opened  his  eyes  he 
found  himself  lying  in  a  Roman  tent,  where  an  old 
man  was  sitting  by  his  couchj  and  a  Eoman  sentry 
pacing  backward  and  forward  before  the  entrance 
of  the  tent. 

"  Drink  this,"  the  old  man  said,  placing  a  cordial 
to  his  lips.  "  You  need  have  no  fear,  you  are  in 
the  camp  of  Titus,  and  he  himself  has  ordered  that 
all  attention  shall  be  paid  to  you." 

John  was  too  weak  from  loss  of  blood,  and  con 
fused  from  the  effects  of  the  blow  on  his  head,  even 
to  feel  the  sensation  of  wonder.  He  drank  the 
potion  and  closed  his  eyes  again,  and  went  off  into 
a  sleep  which  lasted  for  many  hours.  It  was  not 
until  the  next  day  that  he  thoroughly  awoke.  The 
leech  continued  to  attend  him,  and  at  the  end  of 
four  days  he  was  able  to  sit  up. 

In  the  afternoon  he  heard  a  clash  of  arms  as  the 
sentry  gave  the  military  salute,  and  a  moment  later 
Titus  entered,  accompanied  by  one  whom  John  in- 
stantly recognized  as  Josephus.  John  rose  to  his 
feet. 

'•■  I  told  you. he  was  but  a  young  man,"  Titus  said 
to  Josephus ;  "  but  now  that  I  can  see  him  more 
nearly,  or  at  any  rate  more  calmly,  I  can  see  that 
he  is  little  more  than  a  lad,  and  yet,  as  you  have 
heard  me  say,  he  is  a  man  of  valor,  and  defeated 
me  in  fair  fight." 

"  I  seem  to  know  his  face,"  Josephus  said,  and 
then  addressed  John  in  Hebrew. 

"  "Who  are  you,  young  man  ?" 


Tirrs  Brings  Josephus  to  Sbk  JoHN.-Page  284. 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  285 

"  I  am  that  John  whom  you  saved  in  the  storm 
on  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  and  who  fought  with  you  at 
Jotapata." 

"  Is  it  possible  !"  Josephus  exclaimed  in  surprise. 
"  I  thought  that  I  alone  was  saved  there." 

"  I  lay  hidden  with  the  boy  Jonas,  who  told  us 
of  the  track  down  to  the  water,"  John  said  quietly, 
"  and  have  since  then  been  fighting  the  Bomans. 
While  you " 

"  While  I  have  been  their  prisoner,"  Josephus 
broke  in.  "I  know  that  all  my  countrymen  are 
enraged  against  me,  but  truly  without  a  cause." 
Josephus  then  translated  to  Titus  what  John  had 
told  him,  adding  that  the  young  man  had  served 
him  with  zeal  and  devotion,  and  that  he  had  an 
affection  for  him, 

"Then  I  am  the  more  glad  that  he  has  not  lost 
his  life,"  Titus  said  courteously.  "  And  now,  my 
antagonist,"  he  said  in  Greek  to  John,  "  I  would 
tell  you  that  I  bear  you  no  malice,  though  you  have 
shed  my  blood  and  brought  somewhat  of  disgrace 
upon  me ;  for  truly  it  is  a  disgrace  for  a  Koman 
soldier  in  heavy  armor  to  be  overthrown  by  one 
who  carries  but  a  light  buckler  as  his  protection. 
But  I  love  a  brave  man,  even  though  he  be  a  foe, 
and  I  honor  those  who  are  fighting  for  what  they 
believe  to  be  the  cause  of  their  country.  If  I  let 
you  go  free,  will  you  promise  me  not  to  bear  arms 
again  against  Rome  ?" 

"I  could  not  promise  that,  Titus,"  John  said 
quietly,  "  even  were  you  to  order  me  now  to  be 


286  I^OR  TUB  TEMPLE. 

taken  out  and  slain.  It  is  the  first  duty  of  all  Jews 
to  fight  for  the  Holy  City,  and  so  long  as  I  live, 
and  the  Holy  City  is  in  danger,  so  long  I  must 
fight  for  her.  These  are  the  commands  of  my  re- 
ligion, and  I  cannot,  even  to  save  my  life,  disobey 
them." 

"  I  will  not  press  you  to  do  so,"  Titus  said ; 
"  though  Joseph  us  here  will  tell  you  that  Rome  is 
not  an  unkind  lord  even  to  those  who  have  most 
withstood  it.  When  you  are  well  enough  to  leave 
us  you  shall  go  unharmed,  though,  could  you  have 
seen  your  way  to  desist  from  hostility  to  us,  I 
would  have  been  a  good  friend  to  you  and  have 
promoted  you  to  posts  of  honor,  and  that  in  coun- 
tries where  you  would  not  have  been  opposed  to 
your  countrymen.  But  if  yoxi  will  not  hav.e  it  so 
you  are  free  to  go  ;  and  remember  that  at  any  time 
you  have  a  friend  in  Titus,  and  that  when  this  war 
is  over,  and  peace  restored,  if  you  come  to  me  I 
will  repeat  the  offer  that  I  have  now  made.  More- 
over, you  may  rely  upon  it  that  in  the  last  ex- 
tremity I  will  do  all  in  my  power  to  save  the 
Temple,  and  indeed,  in  no  case  would  I  have  injured 
a  building  so  venerable  and  holy." 

Titus  then  left  the  tent,  but  Josephus  remained 
for  some  time  talking  with  John. 

"  I  suppose  you,  like  all  others,  have  looked  upon 
ftie  as  a  traitor,  John  ?"  he  began. 

"  Not  so,"  John  replied.  "  I  knew  that  you 
fought  bravely  at  Jotapata,  and  risked  your  life 
many  times  in  its  defense.     I  knew,  too,  that  you 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE,  287 

from  the  first  opposed  the  revolt  against  the  Ro- 
mans, and  it  is  not  for  me  to  judge  as  to  jour  posi- 
tion among  them." 

"  I  am  a  prisoner,"  Josephus  said.  "  I  am  kindly 
treated,  indeed,  and  Vespasian  frequently  asks  my 
opinion  of  matters  connected  with  the  country,  but 
surely  I  am  doing  more  good  to  my  countrymen  by 
softening  his  heart  toward  them  than  if  I  had  died 
at  Jotapata ;  still  more  if  I  had  been,  like  John  of 
Gischala,  a  scourge  to  it.  I  trust  even  yet  that, 
through  my  influence,  Jerusalem  may  be  saved. 
When  the  time  comes  Yespasian  will,  I  hope,  grant 
terms ;  and  my  only  fear  is  that  the  madness  of  the 
people  will  lead  them  to  refuse  all  accommodation, 
and  so  force  him  into  taking  the  cit}-^  by  storm,  in 
which  case  it  cannot  but  be  that  terrible  misery  will 
fall  upon  it,  and  that  vast  numbers  will  lose  their 
lives.  And  now,  tell  me  how  you  are  at  home,  and 
vrhat  you  have  been  doing  since  I  last  saw  you." 

John  thoui):ht  it  as  well  not  to  mention  to 
Josephus  the  prominent  part  which  he  had  taken 
among  those  who  had  so  harassed  the  Romans,  but 
he  said  that  he  had  joined  the  bands  raised  in 
Galilee,  and  had  been  among  those  who  had  hung 
upon  the  Roman  flank  and  rear  wherever  they 
marched. 

"  The  Jews  have  behaved  with  prudence  and 
valor,"  Josephus  said,  "  and  I  now  see  that  it  would 
have  been  far  better  had  I  trusted  more  in  moun- 
tain warfare  than  in  fenced  cities,  but  it  would 
have  been  the  same  in  the  end.     I  know  the  Jews. 


288  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

They  would  have  fought  bravely  for  a  time,  but  the 
thought  of  each  would  have  turned  to  his  farm  and 
his  vineyard,  and  they  would  never  have  kept  the 
field  for  any  length  of  time.  The  Romans,  therefore, 
would  in  the  end  have  tired  them  out,  and  perhaps 
the  fate  which  has  befallen  the  cities  that  resisted 
would  have  fallen  upon  all  the  land.  And  now  re- 
member that,  although  but  a  prisoner,  I  have  much 
Influence  with  Yespasian,  and  that  at  any  time, 
should  you  fall  into  their  hands  again,  I  will  exert 
that  influence  in  your  favor." 

John  remained  about  ten  days  at  Carmelia. 
Titus  had  several  interviews  with  him,  and  at  the 
last  of  these  said  : 

"  I  have  conceived  a  strong  friendship  for  you, 
young  man,  and  would  willingly  do  you  service. 
Take  this  signet-ring.  At  all  times  and  in  all 
places  it  will  pass  you  to  ray  presence.  If  a  Roman 
sword  be  raised  to  strike  you,  and  you  show  this 
ring,  it  will  be  lowered.  That  you  should  fight 
against  us  to  the  last  is,  as  you  believe,  your  duty, 
and  as  I  m37^self  would  so  fight  for  Rome  I  seek  not 
further  to  dissuade  you ;  but  when  resistance  is  at 
an  end,  and  it  is  useless  any  longer  to  hold  the 
sword,  your  death  cannot  benefit  your  country. 
Therefore,  when  that  time  comes,  if  not  before,  use 
this  ring  and  come  to  me,  and  I  will  grant  you  not 
only  your  own  life,  but  that  of  such  friends  as  you 
may  wish  to  save.  I  do  not  forget  that  you  had  my 
life  in  your  hands,  and  that  you  spared  it.  It  is  a 
life  that  may  yet  be  valuable  to  Rome,  and  though 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  289 

even  now,  when  I  speak  of  it,  my  cheek  flushes 
with  humiliation,  I  am  none  the  less  grateful.  It 
pleases  me  to  see  that,  in  the  conversations  you 
have  had  with  ray  officers,  you  have  borne  yourself 
so  modestly,  and  have  made  no  mention  of  this,  for 
although  I  myself  do  not  hesitate  to  speak  of  the 
mishap  which  befell  me,  it  is  pleasant  for  me  that  it 
is  not  spoken  of  by  others.  Believe  me,  then,  that 
at  all  times  you  will  find  a  sincere  friend  in  Titus." 

John  replied  in  suitable  terms,  thanking  Titus  for 
the  promises  he  had  made,  and  disclaiming  any 
merit  in  his  success,  which  was  but  the  last  effort  of 
a  beaten  man,  and  was  the  result  of  the  sudden  sur- 
prise, and  not  of  any  skill  or  bravery.  Upon  the 
following  morning  Titus  furnished  him  with  an 
escort  far  beyond  the  confines  of  the  camp,  and 
then  taking  to  the  hills,  John  rejoined  his  compan- 
ions, who  had  long  since  given  him  up  as  dead. 
They  could  scarce  credit  him  when  he  told  thera 
that  he  had  been  lying  wounded  in  the  hands  of  the 
Romans,  and  were  still  more  surprised  at  hearing 
that  he  had  been  engaged  in  a  personal  encounter 
with  Titus.  Of  this  John  gave  no  details  beyond 
the  fact  that  after  throwing  their  javelins  the 
horse  of  Titus  had  fallen,  and  they  had  fought 
hand  to  hand,  until  at  last  he  had  fallen  bleeding 
from  a  severe  wound,  and  that  Titus  himself  had 
been  wounded. 

"  But  how  was  it  he  did  not  slay  you  ?"  was  the 
question.  "  It  seems  almost  a  miracle,  especially 
after  wounding  Titus  himself." 


2^  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  Doubtless  the  Lord  put  it  into  his  heart  to  spare 
me,"  John  said.  "  Titus  only  said  that  he  preserved 
my  life  as  that  of  a  brave  foe.  The  Romans  es- 
teem bravery,  and  as  I  had  withstood  Titus  for 
some  time  he  was  pleased  to  think  that  I  had  done 
well." 

"  Ah,  if  you  had  killed  him,  what  rejoicings  there 
would  have  been  in  the  land  ! " 

"  No,"  John  said  earnestly,  "  there  would  have 
been  mourning.  You  may  be  sure  that  Vespasian 
would  have  avenged  his  blood  upon  all  the  people. 
It  would  have  been  a  misfortune,  indeed,  had  Titus 
fallen.     It  is  well  that  it  ended  as  it  did." 

John  was,  however,  far  too  weak  to  be  able  to 
accompany  his  band  upon  its  rapid  marches,  and 
therefore  for  a  time  resigned  its  command  to  one  of 
his  captains.  He  determined  to  go,  until  his 
strength  returned  to  him,  to  a  small  community  of 
which  he  had  heard  as  dwelling  in  an  almost  in- 
accessible valley  on  the  shore  of  the  Dead  Sea.  He 
was  told  that  they  took  no  part  in  the  commotion 
of  the  times,  and  that  they  lived  in  such  poverty 
that  even  the  robbers  of  Simon  had  not  cared  to  in- 
terfere with  them.  They  practiced  hospitality  to 
strangers,  and  spent  their  lives  in  religious  observ- 
ances. As  John  had  often  heard  from  his  father  of 
this  sect,  which  was  at  one  time  numerous  in  the 
land,  but  had  been  sorely  persecuted  by  the  priests 
and  Pharisees,  he  determined  to  stop  for  a  time 
among  them,  and  learn  somewhat  of  their  doc 
trines. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  291 

Accompanied  by  Jonas,  he  made  his  way  across 
the  mountains  to  the  valley  where  they  dwelt.  As 
wounded  and  a  stranger  he  was  received  without 
question  among  them,  and  a  little  hut,  similar  to 
that  in  which  they  ail  lived,  was  placed  at  his  dis- 
posal. These  huts  were  ranged  in  a  square,  in  the 
center  of  which  stood  a  larger  building,  used  as 
their  synagogue.  Here  John  remained  nearly  a 
month,  and  was  greatly  struck  by  their  religious 
fervor,  the  simplicity  and  austerity  of  their  lives, 
and  the  doctrines  which  they  held.  He  learned 
that  the  more  rigorous  of  the  sect  abstained  alto- 
gether from  the  use  of  meat  and  wine,  and  that 
celibacy  was  strictly  enjoined.  Those  who  married 
did  not  separate  themselves  from  the  sect,  but  were 
considered  as  occupying  an  inferior  position  in  it. 

Their  food  was  of  the  simplest  kind,  and  only 
sufficient  to  sustain  life  ;  the  community  raised  the 
grain  and  vegetables  necessary  for  their  use.  But 
it  was  the  religious  doctrines  which  they  held 
which  most  greatly  surprised  John.  They  attached 
no  importance  whatever  to  the  ceremonial  law  of 
the  Jewish  Scriptures,  maintaining,  in  the  first 
place,  that  the  Scriptures  had  a  spiritual  significa- 
tion wholly  apart  from  the  literal  meaning  alone 
understood  by  the  world,  and  that  tliis  spiritual 
meaning  could  only  be  attained  by  those  who,  after 
long  probation,  were  initiated  into  the  inner 
mysteries  of  the  sect. 

In  the  second  place,  they  held  that  the  written 
law  had  been  altogether  superseded  by  the  coming 


292  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

of  the  great  prophet,  Christ,  who  had  been  put  to 
death  by  the  Jewish  priests,  John  learned  that 
there  were  already  large  numbers  of  Jews  who  had 
accepted  the  doctrines  taught  by  this  Christ, 
althougn  they  did  not  all  embrace  the  strict  rules 
and  modes  of  life  of  the  ascetics.  John  was  greatly 
struck  with  their  doctrifies,  although  he  did  not 
hear  enough  to  do  more  than  to  dimly  understand 
their  meaning.  He  determined,  however,  that  if  he 
went  safely  through  the  war  he  would  inquire  fur- 
ther into  these  mysteries.  At  the  end  of  the  four 
weeks,  his  strength  being  comparatively  restored, 
he  took  his  leave  of  the  community,  and  rejoined 
his  band. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  293 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE   TEST   OF   DEVOTION. 

Although  John  was  able  to  join  his  companions, 
he  was  still  far  from  strong,  and  was  glad  to  have  a 
valid  excuse  for  handing  over  his  command  to  his 
lieutenant  and  returning  home.  The  campaign  was 
nearly  over,  and  he  could  not  have  followed  those 
rapid  marches  through  the  hills  which  enabled  the 
band  to  appear  now  on  one  side,  now  on  the  other 
of  the  Romans,  and  to  keep  them  in  a  constant  state 
of  watchfulness.  At  the  same  time  he  was  glad  of 
the  excuse  to  leave,  for  although  he  had  declared  to 
Titus  that  he  would  fight  again  in  defense  of 
Jerusalem,  he  felt  that,  after  the  kind  treatment  he 
had  met  with,  he  could  not  take  part  in  the  daily 
skirmishes  with  the  Romans. 

Mounting  a  donkey,  which  was  among  the  many 
animals  captured  in  the  attacks  upon  the  Romans' 
baggage  train,  John  bade  adieu  to  his  comrades, 
and  with  Jonas,  now  grown  into  a  sturdy  young 
fellow,  started  for  home.  He  journeyed  by  the 
road  to  the  west  of  Jerusalem,  in  order  to  avoid  the 
bandits  of  Simon,  son  of  Gioras,  who  still  scourged 
the  neighborhood  of  Masada  and  Herodium,  lying 
between  Jerusalem  and  the  Dead  Sea.     He  avoided 


294  POR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

all  the  towns  in  which  there  were  Roman  garrisons, 
for  the  bandages  on  his  head  would  have  shown  at 
once  that  he  had  been  engaged  in  fighting.  He 
traveled  slowly,  and  was  six  days  before  he  arrived 
home. 

"  This  time,  my  son,  you  have  not  come  home  un- 
harmed," Simon  said.  "  Truly  you  are  a  shadow  of 
your  former  self." 

"  I  shall  soon  be  strong  again,  father,  and  these 
are  honorable  scars,  for  I  had  them  in  single  com- 
bat with  Titus  himself  in  the  valley  between  Hebron 
and  Carmelia." 

"  Then  how  is  it  that  you  live  to  tell  the  tale,  my 
son?"  Simon  asked,  while  exclamations  of  wonder 
broke  from  Mary  and  Martha.  "  Surely  God  did 
not  deliver  him  into  your  hands  ?" 

"  I  wish  not  to  boast,  father,  and  I  have  told  the 
true  stor}'^  to  none  ;  but  truly  God  did  deliver  him 
into  my  hands." 

"  And  he  is  dead  ?"  Simon  exclaimed. 

"  No,  father,  he  lives,  for  I  spared  him." 

"  Spared  him  !"  Simon  exclaimed.  "  What,  you 
did  not  avenge  the  miseries  of  our  people  upon  the 
son  of  the  oppressor  ?" 

"  No,  father ;  and  I  rejoice  that  I  did  not,  for  had 
I  done  so,  surely  the  Romans  would  have  avenged 
his  death  upon  all  the  land.  But  I  thought  not  of 
that  at  the  time.  I  was  sore  wounded  and  bleed- 
ing, and  my  sense  was  well-nigh  gone ;  but  as  I 
knelt  upon  him,  and  lifted  my  hand  to  slay  him,  a 
thought,  surely  sent  by  God  himself,  came  into  my 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  295 

mind,  and  I  said,  '  Swear  by  your^ods  that  you  will 
spare  the  Temple,  or  I  slay  you;'  and  he  swore 
that,  so  far  as  lay  in  his  power,  he  would  spare  the 
Temple." 

An  exclamation  of  joy  burst  from  his  hearers, 
and  Simon  said : 

"  Verily,  my  son,  God  has  raised  you  up  as  a  de- 
liverer of  his  Temple,  not,  as  some  hoped,  by  defeat- 
ing our  oppressors,  but  by  binding  one  of  their 
mightiest  ones  to  do  it  no  harm." 

"  I  pray,  father,  say  naught  of  this  to  any  one. 
It  is  between  ourselves  and  Titus  and  the  Lord,  and 
I  would  not  that  any  man  should  know  of  it. 
Moreover,  Titus  behaved  with  the  greatest  gener- 
osity to  me.  My  victory  over  him  was  but  a  sur 
prise.  I  was  sorely  wounded,  while  he  was  almost 
unharmed,  when  I  sprang  upon  him,  and  by  the 
sudden  impulse  threw  him  to  the  ground,  he  being 
burdened  with  his  heavy  armor.  I  had  but 
strength  to  hear  him  swear,  and  then  I  fell  as  one 
dead.  Titus  might  have  slain  me  as  I  lay,  but  he 
not  only  did  me  no  harm,  but  when  his  soldiers 
came  up,  he  gave  me  into  their  care,  and  directed 
me  to  be  carried  down  to  his  camp,  placed  in  a  tent, 
and  tended  by  his  own  leech,  and  when  I  recovered 
he  let  me  go  free." 

"  Truly  it  is  a  marvelous  tale,  John.  That  you 
should  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Romans 
and  come  forth  unharmed  after  discomfiting  their 
leader  is  as  marvelous  to  me  as  Daniel  coming  un- 
harmed from  the  lions'  den.     We  will  say  naught 


396  ^OR  THE  TEMPLE, 

of  your  story,  my  son.  Tell  us  only  what  you  told 
your  own  companions,  so  that  we  may  know  what 
to  say  when  we  are  questioned." 

"  I  told  them  the  truth,  father,  although  not  all 
the  truth.  I  said  that  I  met  Titus  and  fought  with 
him,  that  I  wounded  him  somewhat,  but  that  by 
virtue  of  his  armor  I  did  him  no  great  harm,  while 
he  wounded  me  so  seriously  that  I  fell  down  as  one 
dead ;  that  he,  feeling  that  I  had  fought  like  a 
brave  foeman,  had  me  carried  to  his  tent  and  tended 
and  cared  for  until  I  was  able  to  go  forth,  when  he 
sent  me  away  free  and  unharmed," 

"  Truly  men  say  of  Titus  that  he  is  clement  and 
merciful,  and  therein  differs  much  from  Yespasian 
his  father,  and  the  clemency  which  he  showed  to  the 
people  of  Gischala  and  other  places  which  he  has 
taken  proves  that  is  so ;  but  this  deed  of  his  to  you 
shows  that  he  must  have  a  great  heart,  for  few  men 
of  rank  and  warlike  fame  who  had  been  discomfited 
by  one  yet  scarce  a  man,  but  would  have  left  him 
by  the  road  to  die  so  that  none  might  know  what 
had  happened." 

"  Titus  made  no  secret  of  it,  father,"  John  said  ; 
"  he  told  Josephus,  in  my  hearing,  that  I  had  spared 
his  life.  He  said  naught  of  the  oath  which  he  had 
taken,  but  I  know  that  he  will  keep  it  as  far,  as  he 
said,  as  lies  in  his  power." 

"  What  is  he  like  ?"  Mary  asked. 

"  He  is  not  of  very  tall  stature,  but  stoutly  built 
and  strong  ;  his  face,  clean  shaven  as  is  their  custom, 
has   a  pleasant  and  kindly  expression  that  talhes 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  297 

with  his  disposition,  for  he  is  greatly  beloved  by  his 
soldiers.  In  action  they  say  he  is  brave  to  rashness, 
quick  to  anger,  but  as  quickly  appeased.  Had  he 
been  in  command  of  the  Roman  legions  they  would 
have  been  not  less  formidable  in  the  fight,  and  per- 
haps, when  the  passions  of  Titus  were  roused,  not 
less  savage,  but  they  would  not  have  wrought  such 
wholesale  cruelty  and  destruction  as  they  have 
done." 

"  It  is  rarely  that  pity  enters  into  the  heart  of  a 
Roman,"  Simon  said ;  "  and  yet  it  is  hardly  for  us 
to  complain,  for  when  we  crossed  over  the  Jordan 
and  conquered  Canaan  we  put  all  to  the  sword  and 
spared  none.  It  may  be  that  in  future  times,  if 
Avars  do  not  altogether  cease  in  the  world,  they 
will  be  waged  in  another  spirit ;  but  so  far,  from 
the  commencement  of  the  world  until  now,  it  has 
ever  been  the  same,  war  has  brought  desolation  and 
destruction  upon  the  vanquished." 

The  next  morning  John  went  early  into  the  gar- 
den, not  that  he  was  strong  enough  for  heavy 
work,  but  in  order  that  Mary  might,  as  usual,  join 
him  there. 

"  Do  you  know,  John,"  she  said,  after  their  first 
greeting,  "  you  have  made  me  happier  than  I  have 
been  for  some  time." 

"  How  is  that,  Mary  ?" 

"  It  seemed  to  me,  John,  that  you  were  getting 
away  from  me." 

"  Getting  away,  Mary !"  he  repeated ;  "  how  do 
you  mean  ?" 


J^8  FOB  TEE  TEMPLE. 

"  You  were  becoming  a  great  leader,  John.  I  was 
proud  that  it  should  be  so,  proud  to  think  that  you 
might  become  a  deliverer  of  the  nation,  and  then  it 
would  have  been  meet  and  right  that  you  should 
take  to  yourself  as  a  wife  a  daughter  of  one  of  the 
great  ones  of  the  land." 

"  Mary  !"  John  exclaimed  indignantly. 

"  It  might  have  been  necessary,  John.  The  tillers 
of  the  soil  can  marry  where  they  please  ;  those  who 
have  power  must  wed  for  other  reasons  than  that 
of  love.  They  must  make  alliances  that  will 
strengthen  their  position,  and  it  would  have  been 
your  dut}'^  to  have  sacrificed  your  lore  for  the  sake 
of  your  country.  I  should  have  been  the  first  to 
bid  you  do  so.  I  should  havel  been  content  to  make 
my  sacrifice,  too,  on  the  altar  of  our  country,  con- 
tent with  knowing  that  you,  the  deliverer  of  Israel, 
would  have  chosen  me  from  among  all  other  women 
had  you  only  had  your  own  pleasure  and  happiness 
to  consult ;  but  after  what  you  told  us  yesterday  I 
think  perhaps  that  this  need  not  be  so,  and  that  the 
way  in  which  you  were  to  save  the  Temple  was  not 
the  way  we  thought.  Your  mission  has  been  ful- 
filled, not  b}'^  great  victories,  which  would  have 
made  you  the  hero  of  Israel,  but  in  that  contest  in 
the  valley  where  no  eyes  but  those  of  God  beheld 
you,  and  should  the  Temple  be  saved  none  will 
know  thitt  3^ou  were  its  savior  save  we  who  love 
you.  Therefore,  John,  once  again  I  can  look  for- 
ward to  the  time  when  you  and  I  can  dwell  to- 
gether in  the  house  of  your  fathers." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  299  . 

Mary  was  so  earnest  that  John  did  not  attempt 
to  laugh  her  out  of  her  fancies,  as  was  his  usual 
way  ;  he  only  said  quietly  : 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,  Mary,  as  to  my  mission, 
but  I  do  not  think,  dear,  that  even  had  I  been 
made  ruler  of  Israel  I  would  have  gone  elsewhere 
for  a  wife;  but  as  you  say,  circumstances  might 
have  been  too  strong  for  me,  and  at  any  rate  I  am 
well  pleased  that  there  is  no  chance  of  my  happi- 
ness being  set  in  one  scale  and  the  good  of  my 
country  in  another." 

"  And  now,  John,  I  believe  that  you  will  come 
back  to  me  even  if  Jerusalem  falls.  This  is  the 
third  time  your  life  has  been  spared,  and  if  we  count 
that  day  when  we  were  so  nearly  drowned  together 
on  the  lake,  we  may  say  that  four  times  your  life 
has  been  saved  when  it  seemed  all  but  lost,  and  I 
believe  now  that  it  will  be  saved  to  the  end." 

"  I  hope  for  your  sake,  Mary,  and  for  my  father 
and  mother's  that  it  may  be  so.  I  have  so  much  to 
make  my  life  happy  that  I  will  assuredly  do  all  in 
my  power  to  save  it.  As  you  know,  I  have  never 
held  with  those  who  would  destroy  themselves 
when  all  seemed  lost.  My  idea  is,  a  man  should 
fight  until  the  last,  but  should,  if  possible,  provide 
some  way  of  escape  when  fighting  is  no  longer  of 
avail.  Fortunately,  if  I  do  not  fall  in  battle  I  have 
a  talisman  which  will  bring  me  safe  to  you.  Titus 
has  given  me  a  signet-ring  which  will  at  all  tnnes 
procure  me  access  to  him.  He  has  promised  that 
at  all  times  he  will  be  my  friend,  and  should  I  fall 


300  FOR  THE  TEMPLE 

into  the  hands  of  his  soldiers  again  he  will  let  me 
go  free,  and  will  give  me  the  lives  of  any  who  may 
be  dear  to  me." 

"  This  Titus  must  be  a  noble  enemy,"  Mary  said, 
with  tears  in  her  eyes  ;  "he  is  strong,  and  kind,  and 
generous.  Had  such  a  man  been  raised  up  as  the 
leader  of  our  people,  instead  of  the  leader  of  our 
foes,  how  different  it  might  have  been !" 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  John  agreed  ;  "  truly  we  are  sheep 
without  a  shepherd,  nay,  we  are  sheep  whose 
leaders  are  ravening  wolves,  who  devour  their  own 
flock." 

The  time  passed  quietly  and  happily  save  for  the 
grief  which  the  tidings  of  the  terrible  doings  in 
Jerusalem  caused.  The  two  years'  respite  which 
the  city  had  obtained  when  Vespasian  marched 
away  from  Jericho,  instead  of  being  turned  to  good 
account,  had  brought  even  greater  evils  than  be- 
fore. Simon  son  of  Gioras,  having  wasted  all  the 
country  toward  Idumea,  began  to  threaten  Jeru- 
salem. The  Zealots  marched  out  against  him,  but 
were  driven  back  to  the  city.  Simon,  thinking  that 
the  Idumeans,  believing  him  to  be  occupied  with 
Jerusalem,  would  have  grown  careless,  suddenly 
entered  their  country  at  the  head  of  twenty  thou- 
sand men. 

The  Idumeans  flew  to  arms  and  met  him  with 
twenty-five  thousand  men,  and  a  furious  battle 
ensued,  in  which  neither  party  gained  the  advan- 
tage. Simon  retreated,  and  the  Idumeans  dis- 
persed.    Simon  raised   an   even   larger  force  than 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  jjOl 

before,  and  advanced  with  forty  thousand  irregular 
troops  besides  his  heavy-armed  soldiers.  They 
took  Hebron  and  wasted  Idumea  with  fire  and 
sword. 

The  Zealots,  in  Simon's  absence,  succeeded  in 
capturing  his  wife,  and  carried  her  off  to  Jerusalem, 
hoping  by  this  means  to  force  him  to  come  to 
terms.  On  receiving  the  news  he  hurried  back 
with  his  forces,  surrounded  Jerusalem,  and  slew 
every  bne  who  ventured  to  leave  the  city,  except 
some  whom  he  sent  back,  having  cut  off  their 
hands,  to  tell  those  within  that  unless  his  wife  were 
returned  he  would  storm  the  city  and  slay  every 
man  within  it.  Even  the  Zealots  were  alarmed  at 
his  threats  and  fury  and  restored  his  wife,  where- 
upon he  withdrew. 

This  had  happened  in  the  previous  year  before 
Cerealis  and  Vespasian  had  entered  Idumea.  As 
soon  as  the  Romans  had  retired  Simon  again  sallied 
forth  from  Masada,  collected  a  great  number  of 
Idumeans  and  drove  them  before  him  into  Jeru- 
salem, then  he  encamped  before  the  city  and  slew 
all  who  quitted  the  protection  of  its  walls.  Thus, 
Avithin,  John  of  Gischala  and  his  followers  tyran- 
nized over  the  people,  murdering  and  plundering 
till  they  were  sated  with  blood  and  knew  not 
what  to  do  with  their  booty,  while  Simon  cut  off  all 
flight  be3'^ond  its  walls. 

But  at  length  the  party  of  John  became  divided  ; 
the  Idumeans,  who  were  in  considerable  numbers  in 
the  city,  rose  and  drove  John  and  the  Zealots  into 


302  ^OR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

the  palace  built  by  Grapte,  which  had  served  them 
as  their  headquarters  and  the  storehouse  where 
they  piled  up  the  treasure  which  they  had  amassed 
by  the  plunder  of  the  people.  But  the  Idumeans 
attacked  them  here  and  drove  them  into  the  Tem- 
ple, which  adjoined  the  palace,  and  took  possession 
of  all  the  plunder  that  they  had  amassed.  The 
Zealots,  however,  were  in  great  force  in  the  Temple 
and  threatened  to  pour  out  and  destroy  the  whole 
city  by  fire.  The  Idumeans  called  an  assembly  of 
the  chief  priests  and  they  decided  to  admit  Simon 
within  the  gates. 

The  high-priest,  Matthias,  went  out  in  person  to 
invite  him  to  enter,  and,  amid  the  joyful  greetings 
of  the  population,  Simon  marched  through  the  gates 
with  his  followers  and  took  possession  of  the  upper 
city.  This  was  the  last  and  most  fatal  mistake  of 
the  people  of  Jerusalem.  The  sheep  had  invited  a 
tiger  to  save  them  from  a  wolf,  and  now  two 
tyrants  instead  of  one  lorded  it  over  the  city.  As 
soon  as  Simon  entered  he  proceeded  to  attack  the 
Zealots  in  the  Temple,  but  the  commanding  position 
of  that  building  enabled  them  to  defend  themselves 
with  success. 

To  obtain  still  further  advantage  they  reared 
four  strong  towers,  and  on  these  placed  their  mili- 
tary engines  and  bowmen,  and  so  swept  the  ap- 
proaches to  the  Temple  that  Simon  was  forced  to 
desist  from  the  attack.  All  through  the  winter 
fighting  went  on  without  intermission,  and  the 
streets   of  Jerusalem  ran  with    blood.     A   further 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  303 

division  took  place  among  the  Zealots.  Eleazar, 
who  had  been  their  head  before  the  arrival  of  John 
of  Gischala,  jealous  of  the  supremacy  of  that  leader, 
got  together  a  party  and  suddenly  seceded  from 
the  main  band  and  seized  the  inner  court  of  the 
Temple. 

Now  fighting  went  on  within  as  well  as  without 
the  holy  buildings.  The  party  of  Eleazar  were  well 
supplied  with  provisions,  for  the  stores  in  the 
Temple  were  of  immense  extent.  They  were  too 
few  in  numbers  to  sally  out  to  attack  the  party  of 
John ;  but  they  were  strong  enough  to  defend  the 
walls  of  the  inner  court,  which  looked  down  upon 
the  rest  of  the  Temple  and  enabled  them  to  com- 
mand the  positions  of  John's  troops.  Day  and 
night  the  struggle  went  on.  The  inner  court  of  the 
Temple  was  desecrated  by  blood — dying  men  lay 
on  the  steps  of  the  altar,  and  the  shouts  and  songs 
of  the  savage  soldiery  rose  where  the  hymns  of 
praise  of  the  Levites  had  been  wont  to  ascend. 

John's  troops  continued  their  attack  upon  the 
inner  court,  while  they  successfull}'^  resisted  the  as- 
saults of  Simon,  who  tried  to  take  advantage  of  the 
internecine  strife  raging  between  the  two  parties  of 
Zealots ;  but  the  superior  height  of  the  positions 
held  by  John's  men  enabled  them  to  defend  them- 
selves as  successfully  as  did  those  of  Eleazar,  against 
their  attacks. 

And  yet  during  all  this  terrible  strife  the  services 
of  the  Temple  were  continued  in  tlie  midst  of  blood 
and  carnage.     Free  ingress  and  egress  were,  as  at 


304  ^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

all  times,  permitted  to  the  pious,  who  made  their 
way  unharmed  through  the  fierce  combatants, 
passed  over  the  pavement  slippery  with  blood,  and 
laid  their  offering  on  the  altars,  often  paying  with 
their  lives  for  their  pious  services,  being  smitten 
down  even  as  they  prayed  at  the  altar  by  the 
missiles  which  the  followers  of  John  poured  inces- 
santly into  the  inner  court. 

Sometimes,  drunk  with  the  wine  obtained  from 
the  abundant  stores  of  the  Temple,  the  followers  of 
Eleazar  would  sally  out  against  John  ;  sometimes 
John  would  pour  out  against  Simon,  wasting  and 
destroying  the  city  as  far  as  his  troops  could  pene- 
trate. Thus  the  Temple  became  surrounded  by  a 
waste  of  ruins,  held  in  turn  by  one  or  other  of  the 
factions.  Even  the  rites  of  burial,  so  dear  to  the 
Jews,  were  neglected,  and  the  bodies  of  the  slain 
lay  unburied  where  they  fell.  And  yet  the  forces 
of  the  three  factions  which  thus  desolated  the  citv 
were  comparatively  small,  and  had  the  wretched 
population  who  were  tyrannized  over  by  them  pos- 
sessed any  unanimity  or  been  led  by  any  man  of 
courage,  they  could  easily  have  overthrown  them 
all,  for  Simon's  force  amounted  to  about  fifteen 
thousand,  that  of  John  to  six  thousand,  while  Elea- 
zar could  count  but  twenty-four  hundred  men  ;  and 
yet  in  Jerusalem  were  gathered  a  population  amount- 
ing, with  the  original  inhabitants  and  the  fugitives 
from  the  country  around,  to  over  a  million  people. 

At  length  the  long  interval  of  suspense  was  draw- 
ing to  an  end.     At  the  death  of  Vitellius  Vespasian 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  805 

had  been  called  upon  by  the  general  voice  of  the 
people  to  ascend  the  throne,  and  had  some  time  be- 
fore left  for  Rome  to  assume  the  imperial  purple. 
He  was  joyfully  acknowledged  by  the  whole  Roman 
empire,  who  had  groaned  under  a  succession  of  bru- 
tal tyrants,  and  now  hailed  the  accession  of  one  who 
was  at  once  a  great  general  and  an  upright  and  able 
man,  and  who  would  rule  the  empire  with  a  firm, 
just,  and  moderate  hand.  When  winter  was  over 
Vespasian  sent  Titus,  who  had  in  the  mean  time 
gone  to  Egypt,  back  to  Palestine,  and  ordered  him 
to  complete  the  conquest  of  Judea. 

The  Twelfth  Legion,  that  which  had  been  defeat- 
ed when  under  the  command  of  Cestius,  was  ordered 
to  reenforce  the  three  already  in  Judea,  and  the 
gaps  made  in  the  ranks  during  the  war,  and  by  the 
withdrawal  of  the  men  who  had  accompanied  Ves- 
pasian to  Rome,  were  filled  by  an  addition  of  two 
thousand  picked  troops  from  Alexandria  and  three 
thousand  from  the  legions  stationed  on  the  Eu- 
phrates. The  Syrian  kings  sent  large  contingents, 
and  Tiberius  Alexander,  an  intimate  friend  of  Titus, 
a  man  of  wisdom  and  integrity,  was  appointed  to 
high  command.  His  knowledge  of  the  country, 
which  he  had  once  governed,  added  to  his  value  in 
the  Roman  councils. 

As  soon  as  the  news  spread  that  the  Roman  array 
was  collecting  for  its  march  against  Jerusalem  the 
signal  fires  were  kindled  on  the  hills  above  Gamala, 
and  John,  after  a  tender  farewell  to  his  parents  and 
Mary,  set  out  with  Jonas.     In  twenty-four  hours 


306  V-OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

the  band  had  again  assembled.  "When  they  were 
gathered  John  addressed  them.  He  pointed  out  to 
them  that  the  campaign  that  they  were  now  about 
to  undertake  differed  widely  from  those  which  had 
preceded  it. 

"  Hitherto,"  he  said,  "  you  have  but  skirmished 
around  the  Romans,  and  have  run  but  comparatively 
little  danger  ;  but  now  those  who  go  with  me  must 
make  up  their  minds  that  they  are  going  to  Jeru- 
salem to  die.  It  may  be  that  the  Lord  will  yet  de- 
liver the  Holy  City  from  her  enemies  as  he  delivered 
it  in  days  of  old.  But  you  know  what  has  been 
doing  in  Jerusalem  for  the  last  four  years,  that  not 
only  the  streets  but  the  altar  itself  have  been  flooded 
with  the  blood  of  the  people,,  how  the  Jews  them- 
selves have  desecrated  the  Temple,  and  how  wick- 
edness of  all  kinds  has  prevailed  in  the  city. 

"  Thus  you  can  judge  for  yourselves  what  chance 
there  is  that  God  will  interfere  on  behalf  of  the 
people  who  have  forsaken  and  insulted  him.  If 
be  does  not  interfere,  in  my  opinion  the  fate  of  the 
city  is  sealed.  I  have  seen  the  Romans  at  work  at 
Jotapata  and  Garaala,  and  I  know  how  the  strongest 
walls  go  down  before  their  engines  and  battering- 
rams.  Moreover,  I  hear  that  in  the  wars  which 
have  been  raging  within  the  gates,  the  magazines, 
which  contain  sufficient  food  to  last  even  her  great 
population  for  years,  have  been  entirely  destroyed, 
and  thus  those  who  go  to  defend  her  have  to  face 
not  the  Roman  sword  only,  but  famine. 

"  Therefore  I  say  that  those  who  go  up  to  defend 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  307 

the  Temple  must  make  up  their  minds  that  they  go 
to  die  for  the  Temple.  It  is  for  each  of  3'ou  to  ask 
yourselves  whether  you  are  ready  to  do  this.  I  ask 
no  one  to  go  with  me  ;  let  each  before  it  is  too  late 
ask  himself  whether  he  is  ready  to  do  this  thing.  I 
blame  none  who  find  the  sacrifice  too  great;  it  is 
between  them  and  their  conscience.  Therefore  I 
pray  you  let  all  to-night  disperse  among  the  hills, 
each  by  himself,  so  that  you  may  think  over  what 
I  have  said,  and  let  all  who  may  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  they  are  not  called  upon  to  go  to  cer- 
tain death  in  defense  of  the  Temple  depart  to  their 
homes  without  reproach  from  their  comrades.  Each 
man  here  has  done  his  duty  so  long  as  hope  re- 
mained. Now  it  is  for  each  to  decide  for  himself 
whether  he  feels  called  upon  to  give  his  life  for  the 
Temple." 

Silently  the  crowd  dispersed,  and  John  joined  the 
captains  and  passed  the  night  with  them. 

"  I  fear  we  shall  have  but  a  small  gathering  in 
the  morning,"  one  of  them  said  as  they  sat  down 
by  the  fire.  "  Many  will  fight  as  long  as  there  is 
hope,  but  few  will  go  down  to  certain  death." 

"  It  is  better  so,"  John  said  ;  ''  misery  and  ruin 
have  fallen  upon  the  country.  As  you  saw  for  your- 
selves Judea  and  Iduraea  are  but  deserts,  and  more 
have  fallen  by  famine  and  misery  than  by  the 
sword.  We  would  not  have  our  nation  blotted  out, 
and  as  in  the  days  after  the  captivity  in  Babylon 
God  again  collected  his  people  and  restored  their 
land  to  them,  so  it  may  be  his  intention  to  do  now 


308  ^^^  THE  TEMPLE. 

vvhen  they  have  paid  the  full  penalty  of  their  dis- 
obedience and  wickedness.  Therefore  I  would  not 
that  any  should  go  down  to  die,  save  those  who  feel 
chat  God  has  called  them  to  do  so. 

"  Already  the  victims  who  have  fallen  in  these 
four  years  are  well-nigh  countless,  and  in  Jerusalem 
there  are  a  million  people,  suflScient,  if  they  have 
spirit  and  strength  and  the  Lord  is  with  them,  to 
defend  the  walls.  Thus,  then,  however  small  the 
number  of  those  who  may  gather  to-morrow,  I  shall 
be  content.  Had  the  Romans  advanced  against 
Jerusalem  at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  there 
ivas  not  a  Jew  capable  of  bearing  arms  but  would 
have  gone  up  to  the  defense  of  the  Holy  City  ;  but 
now  their  spirit  is  broken  by  the  woes  that  have 
come  upon  them,  and  still  more  by  the  civil  wars 
in  Jerusalem  herself.  A  spirit  of  hopelessness  and 
despair  has  come  upon  us.  It  is  not  that  men  fear 
to  die  or  that  they  care  to  live,  it  is  that  they  say, 
What  matters  it  whether  we  live  or  die?  all  is  lost ; 
why  should  we  trouble  as  to  what  may  come  upon 
us?" 

"  Then  you  no  longer  believe  in  your  mission, 
John  ?"  one  of  the  party  said  gloomily. 

"  I  have  never  proclaimed  a  mission,"  John  said  ; 
"  others  have  proclaimed  it  for  me.  I  simply  in- 
vited a  score  of  men  to  follow  me,  to  do  what  we 
could  to  hinder  the  Romans,  and  because  God  gave 
us  success  others  believed  that  I  was  sent  as  a  de- 
liverer. And  yet  I  believe  that  I  had  a  mission, 
and  that  mission  has  been  fulfilled.     I  told  you  not 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  30„ 

before,  but  I  tell  you  now  for  your  comfort  what 
happened  between  me  and  Titus,  but  I  wish  not 
that  it  should  be  told  to  others.  I  told  you  that  1 
fought  with  him,  and  that  being  wounded  and  in- 
sensible I  was  carried  into  his  tent ;  but  that  was 
not  all.  When  we  fought,  although  sorely  wounded 
I  sprang  upon  him  and  we  fell  to  the  ground,  I 
uppermost.  I  drew  my  knife  and  would  have  slain 
him,  when  the  Lord  put  a  thought  into  my  mind, 
and  I  called  upon  him  to  swear  that  he  would  spare 
the  Temple. 

"  He  swore  that  if  it  lay  in  his  power  he  would 
do  so.  Then  he  was  but  in  inferior  command,  now 
he  is  general  of  the  army  and  should  be  able  to 
keep  his  oath.  Thus,  if  I  had  a  mission  to  save  the 
Temple,  I  trust  that  I  have  fulfilled  it,  and  that 
whatever  fate  may  fall  upon  the  city  the  Temple 
will  yet  remain  erect  and  unharmed." 

John's  words  gave  new  life  and  energy  to  the 
before  dispirited  men  gathered  round  him.  It 
seemed  to  them  not  only  that  the  Temple  would  be 
saved,  but  that  their  belief  in  their  leader's  mission 
as  a  deliverer  was  fully  justified,  and  a  feeling  of 
enthusiasm  succeeded  that  of  depression. 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  us  before,  why  did  you 
not  let  all  your  followers  know  what  a  great  thing 
you  had  done,  John  ?"  one  of  them  asked  presently. 

"  For  two  reasons,"  John  replied.  "  I  did  not 
wish  to  seem  to  exalt  myself  or  to  boast  of  the  suc- 
cess which  God  had  given  me  over  the  Koman,  for 
it  was  assuredly  his  strength  and  not  mine,  for  I 


,^^,  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

myself  could  do  naught  against  the  strength  and 
skill  of  Titus,  and  as  I  told  you  I  was  wounded  nigh 
to  death  while  he  received  small  hurt.  In  the  next 
place,  I  thought  that  if  I  made  it  public  it  would  be 
noised  abroad  through  the  land,  and  that  Titus, 
when  he  heard  that  all  men  knew  that  he  had  been 
worsted  in  jBght  with  a  Jew,  might  repent  of  his 
oath,  or  might  even  ask  to  be  sent  to  some  other 
command  so  that  he  might  not  be  called  upon  to 
keep  it." 

John's  companions  agreed  that  the  second  reason 
was  a  valid  one,  though  they  did  not  agree  that  the 
first  should  have  weighed  with  him. 

"It  is  not  by  hiding  a  light  under  a  bushel,"  one 
of  them  said,  "  that  men  gain '  the  confidence  of 
their  followers.  The  more  men  believe  in  their 
leaders  the  more  blindly  will  they  follow  him,  the 
greater  the  efforts  they  will  make  for  him.  It  was 
the  belief  in  your  mission  which  gathered  eight 
thousand  men  on  these  mountains  to  follow  you, 
and  the  proof  that  you  have  given  us  that  that  be- 
lief was  well  founded,  and  that-you  had  a  mission 
to  save  the  Temple,  the  knowledge  that  you  had 
single-handed  forced  tiie  Roman  general  to  swear 
an  oath  to  save  the  Temple,  would  have  so 
heightened  that  enthusiasm  that  they  would  have 
followed  you  had  you  bidden  them  attack  the  whole 
Roman  army.  I  agree  that  for  your  second  reason 
it  was  wise  to  say  nothing  of  what  took  place;  but 
your  first  was,  I  think,  a  mistaken  one." 

"  At  any  rate,"  another  said,  "  the  hand  of  God 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  311 

is  plainly  marked  in  the  matter,  for  it  has  placed 
Titus  in  full- command,  and  has  thus  given  him  the 
power  of  carrying  out  the  oath  which  he  swore. 
Now,  my  friends,  we  can  go  up  with  light  hearts 
with  John  to  Jerusalem,  for  though  we  may  die,  yet 
do  we  feel  assured  that  the  Lord  purposes  to  save 
the  Temple,  and  that  one  day  he  will  restore  the 
glories  of  Judah." 

In  the  morning,  as  John  had  expected,  the  num- 
ber of  those  who  gathered  at  the  sound  of  the 
trumpet  was  comparatively  small.  The  night's 
reflection,  the  feeling  that  the  sacrifice  of  their 
lives  would  be  of  no  avail,  and  the  dull  despair  that 
had  seized  the  whole  nation  had  had  their  effect, 
and  of  the  eight  thousand  men  who  had  gathered 
there  the  night  before,  but  six  hundred  now  obeyed 
the  summons. 

These  gathered  stern  and  silent,  but  with  an  ex- 
pression of  desperate  resolution  on  their  faces.  At 
the  earnest  request  of  his  captains,  John  allowed 
them  to  go  among  the  men  and  to  tell  them  that 
although  the  manner  in  which  it  was  done  was  a 
secret,  John  had  given  to  them  undoubted  proofs 
that  he  had  a  mission  from  God,  and  that  they  be- 
lieved that  whatever  might  happen  to  Jerusalem, 
it  was  the  Lord's  will  that  the  Temple  should  be 
saved.  The  joyous  expression  of  their  leaders' 
faces  even  more  than  their  words  assured  their  fol- 
lowers of  their  sincerity.  Their  spirit  rose,  and 
a  renewed  feeling  of  enthusiasm  seized  them  ;  and 
when,  an  hour  later,  John  took  his  place  on  a  rock 


312  FOB  TEE  TEMPLE. 

to  address  them,  the  shouts  of  greeting  which 
broke  forth  showed  him  how  great  was  the  change 
in  their  spirit. 

"  My  friends,"  he  said,  "  I  greet  you  who  have 
decided  to  die  with  me,  if  need  be,  in  defense  of 
Jerusalem.  I  blame  not  those  who  have  gone. 
They^  would  not  have  gone  had  the  Lord  required 
them  to  stay ;  but  to  you  he  has  spoken,  and  has 
told  you  that  he  has  need  of  your  services.  Hence- 
forward we  will  act  as  one  band — a  band  of  men  in- 
spired with  one  thought  and  one  aim.  And  now, 
though  our  numbers  may  not  be  great,  yet  a  force 
so  composed  of  men  who  hold  their  lives  as  naught 
may  do  wonders.  You  remember  how  Gideon  sent 
the  greater  part  of  his  army  away,  and  with  a  mere 
handful  defeated  the  hosts  of  the  enemy  ! 

"  "We  look  not  for  victory ;  but  we  will  show 
the  Romans  what  men  can  do  to  avenge  their  bleed- 
ing country — what  deeds  Jews  can  perform  when 
fighting  for  the  Temple.  We  shall  go  into  Jeru- 
salem ;  there  we  will  hold  aloof  from  all  parties.  If 
we  are  attacked  we  will  defend  ourselves.  But  our 
aim  will  be  to  act  as  a  body  apart  from  others, 
ready  to  undertake  the  most  desperate  services,  and 
to  set  an  example  of  courage  and  devotion.  Now 
let  us  count  our  numbers  and  arrange  ourselves 
anew  into  companies." 

It  was  found  that  the  bands  composed  of  men 
from  Tiberias  and  the  other  cities  of  the  lake  had 
entirely  disappeared,  and  that  those  who  had  stayed 
were  principally    hardy  dwellers  among  the  hills. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  313 

They  were  again  divided  into  twenty  companies  of 
thirty  men  each ;  and  after  examining  their  arms 
and  seeing  that  all  were  well  provided,  John  gave 
the  order  and  the  band  set  off.  Keeping  on  the 
eastern  side  of  Jordan  they  stopped  at  a  large  vil- 
lage near  the  ford  opposite  Jericho  ;  and  here  a 
quantity  of  grain  was  purchased  and  was  made  up 
into  sacks,  each  weighing  fifty  pounds. 

"  The  granaries  that  remain  will  be  principally  in 
the  hands  of  the  troops  of  John  or  Simon,"  John 
said  ;  "  and  it  is  as  well  that  we  should  have  our 
own  store  to  depend  upon.  So  long  as  we  can  buy 
food  we  will  do  so,  and  we  can  fall  back  upon  our 
own  magazine  if  necessary.  It  will  be  best  for  two 
or  three  of  us  to  go  into  the  city  first  and  find  a 
quarter  where  we  can  lodge  close  together,  and  as 
far  removed  as  possible  from  the  factions.  Simon 
holds  the  upper  town  and  John  the  Temple  ;  there- 
fore we  will  establish  ourselves  in  the  lovver  town. 
We  will  not  go  in  in  a  body,  for  they  might  refuse 
us  admittance  ;  but  as  the  Romans  approach  there 
will  be  a  stream  of  fugitives  entering  the  city  ;  we 
will  mingle  with  them  and  pass  in  unobserved. 

"Many  of  the  fugitives  will  be  carrying  the 
goods  they  most  value,  and  many  doubtless  will 
take  in  provisions  with  them,  therefore  our  sacks  of 
grain  will  not  excite  attention ." 

It  was  five  years  since  John  had  journeyed  up 
with  his  parents  to  Jerusalem,  and  he  therefore 
knew  but  little  of  the  city.  Some  of  his  followers, 
however,   had   been  there  more  recently  ;  and  he 


314  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

picked  out  four  of  these,  one  of  whom  was  a  cap- 
tain of  a  company,  to  enter  the  city  and  find  a  suit- 
able post  for  them.  The  whole  band  crossed  the 
Jordan  together,  and  made  a  detour  to  avoid 
Jericho,  where  the  Tenth  Legion  had  been  quar- 
tered during  the  winter.  Then  they  took  their  way 
up  the  steep  road  through  the  hills,  until,  passing 
through  Bethany,  they  came  out  on  the  crest  of  the 
hill  looking  down  upon  the  Y alley  of  Jehoshaphat, 
with  the  Temple  rising  immediately  opposite  to 
them,  and  the  palace  of  Agrippa  and  the  crowded 
houses  of  the  city  in  the  background. 

The  men  laid  down  their  sacks  and  stood  for  a 
long  time  looking  at  Jerusalem.  Many  were  moved 
to  tears  as  they  looked  on  the  stately  beauty  of  the 
Holy  City,  and  thought  how  low  it  had  fallen,  with 
civil  tumult  within  and  a  terrible  enemy  approach- 
ing from  without.  Even  now  there  is  no  fairer 
scene  in  the  world  than  the  view  of  Jerusalem  from 
the  spot  where  they  were  standing,  called  then  as 
now  the  Mount  of  Olives ;  and  it  must  have  been 
superb,  indeed,  in  the  days  when  the  Temple  stood 
intact  and  the  palaces  of  Agrippa  and  Herod  rose 
on  the  brow  of  Mount  Zion. 

After  a  long  pause  they  resumed  their  way, 
crossed  the  upper  end  of  the  Yalley  of  Jehoshaphat, 
and  established  themselves  for  the  night  in  a  grove 
of  trees  near  the  Grotto  of  Jeremiah,  four  chosen 
men  at  once  entering  the  city  by  the  Old  Gate  on 
the  north  side  of  the  city.  The  country  here,  and 
indeed  all  the  hills  around  Jerusalem,  were  covered 


FOM  THE  TEMPLE.  3I5 

with  the  houses  of  the  wealthy,  surrounded  by  gar- 
dens and  orchards.  They  belonged  not  only  to  the 
Jews  of  the  city,  but  to  those  who  dwelt  in  foreign 
countries,  and  who  were  accustomed  each  year  to 
come  to  Jerusalem  for  the  Passover  and  to  spend 
some  time  there  before  they  returned  to  their  dis- 
tant homes.  Even  now,  undismayed  by  the  dan- 
gers of  the  times  and  the  knowledge  that  the  Eo- 
mans  would  shortly  besiege  the  city,  pilgrims  were 
arriving  from  all  the  cities  of  Asia  Minor,  Greece, 
and  Egypt,  for  the  time  of  the  Passover  was  close 
at  hand. 

At  the  foot  of  the  walls  and  on  the  slopes  around 
large  numbers  of  pilgrims  were  encamped,  the  rich 
in  gorgeous  tents,  the  poor  in  shelters  constructed 
of  boughs  or  carpets.  This  overflow  of  people  was 
an  occurrence  which  was  witnessed  every  year  on 
the  same  occasion,  but  its  proportions  were  this 
time  of  greater  magnitude  than  usual,  partly  owing 
to  the  difficulty  of  procuring  lodgings  in  the  town 
owing  to  the  crowds  of  fugitives  there,  partly  be- 
cause many  thought  it  safer  to  camp  outside,  and  to 
enter  the  city  only  to  pay  their  devotions  and  take 
part  in  the  ceremonial  than  to  put  themselves 
wholly  into  the  power  of  the  ruffians  of  Simon  and 
John. 

In  the  following  morning  the  men  returned  and 
reported  that  they  had  found  a  spot  in  the  inner 
lower  town,  between  the  Corner  Gate  and  the  Gate 
of  Ephraim  in  the  second  wall,  where  was  a  large 
house  inhabited  now  but  by  two  or  three  persons  ; 


316  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

here  a  great  number  of  them  could  take  up  their 
quarters,  while  the  others  could  find  lodging  near. 
The  reason  why  so  many  houses  were  empty  there 
was  that  it  was  somewhat  exposed  to  the  irruptions 
of  Simon's  men  from  the  upper  town,  as  they  fre- 
quently came  down  and  robbed  those  who  entered 
the  city  at  the  Damascus  Gate,  from  which  led  the 
great  north  road. 

Crowds  of  fugitives  were  making  their  wa}'^  by 
this  road  to  the  city,  flying  before  the  advance  of 
the  Romans,  who  were,  they  said,  but  a  few  hours' 
march  in  their  rear.  Many  were  men  coming  to 
take  their  part  in  the  defense  of  the  city,  but  the 
great  proportion  were  old  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren flying  for  refuge.  John  shook  his  head  as  he 
watched  the  stream  of  fugitives,  for  he  well  knew 
the  horrors  that  would  befall  the  besieged  town. 

"Better  a  thousand  times,"  he  said  to  Jonas, 
"  that  these  poor  people  should  have  remained  in 
their  villages.  They  have  nothing  which  would 
tempt  the  cupidity  of  the  Roman  soldiers,  and  no 
evil  might  have  befallen  them  ;  whereas  now  they 
will  perish  by  famine  or  disease  or  be  slain  by  the 
Romans,  besides  consuming  the  food  which  would 
have  sustained  the  fighting  men.  Were  master 
of  Jerusalem  I  would,  when  I  heard  the  Romans 
were  approaching,  have  cleared  out  from  the  city 
all  who  could  not  aid  in  the  defense.  It  would 
have  seemed  a  harsh  action,  but  it  would  have  been 
a  merciful  one,  and  would  greatly  strengthen  the 
power  of  resistance," 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  317 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

JERUSALEM. 

Mingling  with  the  crowd,  John  and  his  followers 
made  tiieir  way  through  the  Damascus  Gate  into 
Jerusalem,  and  followed  the  Damascus  Street  to 
the  Gate  of  Ephraim.  An  air  of  somber  misery 
pervaded  the  whole  population.  In  their  hearts  the 
greater  portion  of  the  population  had  for  many 
months  been  longing  for  the  approach  of  the  Ro- 
mans ;  even  death  would  be  preferable  to  the  mis- 
ery which  they  suffered.  There  were  but  few  peo- 
ple in  the  streets,  for  all  remained  in  their  houses 
with  closed  doors,  save  when  necessity  drove  them 
out  to  make  purchases.  Turning  sharp  round  by 
the  wall  the  members  of  the  band  made  their  way 
along  by  it  until  they  were  met  by  one  or  other  of 
those  who  had  gone  on  in  advance,  and  were  con- 
ducted to  the  house  which  had  been  hired  for  them. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  houses  near  looked  out  of 
their  windows  in  alarm  when  they  saw  so  many 
armed  men  arriving,  but  they  gained  courage  on 
observing  their  quiet  and  orderly  demeanor,  and 
doors  were  presently  unbolted  and  men  came  out 
to  inquire  who  were  the  new-comers.  When  they 
were  told  that  they  were  from  Galilee  an  d  Peraea 


318  J'^Ji  THE  TEMPLE. 

and  had  come  down  only  to  fight  for  the  Holy  City, 
that  they  would  harm  no  one,  and  had  nothing  in 
common  with  any  of  the  factions,  confidence  was 
restored,  and  offers  were  at  once  made  to  take  in 
ten,  fifteen,  or  twenty  men,  according  to  the  size  of 
the  houses ;  for  the  people  soon  saw  that  the  new 
arrivals  would  prove  a  protection  from  the  attacks 
and  insults  of  small  numbers  of  Simon's  men,  who 
had  hitherto  pervaded  the  lower  town,  breaking 
into  houses,  robbing  and  murdering  wheresoever 
they  chose. 

The  grain  was  all  stored  in  the  house  that  had 
been  hired ;  and  here  John  took  up  his  quarters  with 
the  men  of  his  own  company  and  those  of  Asher, 
one  of  his  bravest  and  most  determined  captains. 
The  rest  were  all  accommodated  in  houses  in  the 
same  street.  And  as  this,  like  most  of  the  streets  of 
Jerusalem,  was  very  narrow,  John  felt  that  it  could 
be  defended  against  an  attack  by  a  greatly  superior 
force. 

It  was  but  half  an  hour  after  the  band  had  been 
settled  in  their  quarters  that  a  shriek  was  heard  at 
the  end  of  the  street.  John  ran  out  in  time  to  see 
a  woman  struck  down,  while  a  body  of  some  twenty 
half-drunken  soldiers  with  drawn  swords  were  trying 
to  force  in  the  door  of  a  house.  John  sounded  his 
bugle,  and  there  was  a  rush  of  armed  men  into  the 
street.  John  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  two 
companies  with  him  and  advanced  against  the  sol- 
diers and  sternly  ordered  them  to  desist.  The 
soldiers,  astonished  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  so 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  319 

large  a  body  of  armed  men,  drew  back  in  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Who  are  you  ?"  one  who  seemed  to  be  their 
leader  asked. 

"  It  matters  not  who  I  am,"  John  said  quietly. 
"  It  is  enough,  as  you  see,  that  I  have  a  force  here 
sufficiently  strong  to  make  myself  obeyed.  This 
street  henceforih  is  mine;  and  beware  of  attempt- 
ing plunder  or  violence  here,  for  whoever  does  so 
surely  dies !" 

Muttering  threats  below  their  breath  the  soldiers 
sullenly  withdrew.  An  hour  later  one  of  the  inhab- 
itants ran  in  to  inform  John  that  a  large  body  of 
men  were  coming  down  from  the  upper  city.  John 
immediately  called  his  men  to  arras,  and  at  their 
head  took  up  his  position  at  the  end  of  the  street. 

Ere  long  a  crowd  of  soldiers  were  seen  approach- 
ing. At  their  head  strode  one  whom  John  at  once 
guessed  to  be  Simon  himself.  When  he  arrived 
within  ten  paces  Simon  stopped,  surprised  at  the 
compact  order  and  resolute  appearance  of  the  band 
which  filled  the  street. 

"  Who  are  you  ?"  he  asked  John  imperiously. 

"  My  name  is  John,  and  I  am  generally  called 
John  of  Gamala,  although  that  is  not  my  birthplace." 

Simon  uttered  an  exclamation  of  astonishment, 
for  the  tales  of  John's  attack  upon  the  Roman  camp 
at  Gamala,  and  of  his  subsequent  actions  against  the 
Romans,  were  well  known  in  Jerusalem. 

"  You  are  but  a  lad,"  Simon  said  contemptuously, 
"  and  John  of  Gamala  must  be  a  warrior !" 


320  ^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

"I  am  John  of  Garaala,"  John  repeated  quietly, 
''  and  these  men  are  part  of  my  band.  We  have 
corae  down  to  defend  Jerusalem,  since  there  is  no 
more  to  be  done  in  the  open  country.  We  wish  to 
interfere  with  none,  to  take  part  with  no  faction, 
but  simply  to  defend  the  city.  We  war  with  the 
Romans  and  not  with  Jews.  We  assault  no  one; 
but  woe  be  to  him  who  assaults  us !  Here  are  six 
hundred  of  us,  each  man  ready  to  die  ;  and  though 
you  have  twenty  men  to  one,  yet  will  we  withstand 
you  if  you  meddle  with  us.  By  to-night  the  Ro- 
mans will  be  outside  the  walls.  Is  this  the  time 
that  Jews  should  fall  upon  each  other  like  wild 
beasts  ?" 

Simon  hesitated.  The  idea  of  opposition  excited 
him,  as  usual,  to  fury  ;  but,  upon  the  other  hand,  he 
saw  that  this  determined  body  were  not  to  be  over- 
come save  with  great  loss,  and  he  wanted  his  men 
for  his  struggles  with  the  Zealots. 

"You  are  not  in  correspondence  with  John  of 
Gischala  ?"  he  asked  doubtfully. 

"  I  am  in  correspondence  with  none,"  John  said. 
"  As  I  have  told  you,  we  come  only  to  fight  for  Je- 
rusalem, and  will  take  no  part  on  one  side  or  other 
in  your  dissensions.  We  have  taken  up  this  street 
between  this  gate  and  the  Corner  Gate,  and  this 
street  we  will  hold." 

Simon  still  hesitated.  He  saw  that  round  this 
nucleus  of  determined  men  the  whole  of  the  citizens 
of  the  lower  town  might  gather,  and  that  he  might 
be  forced  to  confine   himself  to  the   upper  to^yn. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  321 

This,  however,  would  be  of  no  great  importance 
now.  The  inner  lower  town  was  the  poor  quarter 
of  Jerusalem.  Here  dwelt  the  artisans  and  mechan- 
ics iu  the  narrow  and  tortuous  lanes,  while  the 
wealthier  classes  resided  either  in  the  upper  town, 
where  stood  the  palaces  of  the  great,  or  in  the  new 
town  between  the  second  and  third  walls.  The  new 
town  had  indeed  until  lately  been  a  suburb  outside 
the  walls.  Agrippa  had  begun  the  third  wall,  which 
was  to  inclose  this,  and  had  he  been  allowed  to  build 
it  according  to  his  design,  he  would  have  made  Je- 
rusalem absolutely  impregnable  save  by  famine ;  but 
the  authorities  at  Rome,  knowing  how  turbulent 
were  the  population  of  Jerusalem,  and  foreseeing 
that  at  some  time  they  might  have  to  lay  siege  to 
the  city,  had  forbidden  its  construction,  and  the 
new  wall  had  been  hastily  erected  by  the  Jews 
themselves  after  they  had  risen  and  defeated  Cestius 
four  years  before. 

This  wall  inclosed  a  vast  number  of  villas  with 
gardens  and  open  spaces,  now  thickly  tenanted  by  the 
temporary  habitations  of  the  fugitives  and  pilgrims. 
The  lower  town  then  contained  but  little  to  tempt 
the  cupidity  of  Simon's  troops.  Its  houses  had  in- 
deed been  ransacked  over  and  over  again,  and 
Simon  reflected  that  even  should  his  men  be  pre- 
vented from  descending  into  it  it  would  matter  but 
little,  while,  as  it  was  separated  from  the  upper 
town  by  the  Tyropoeon  Valley  and  the  first  wall, 
no  rising  there  could  be  a  formidable  danger  to  him. 
Still,  it  galled  him  to  be  resisted,  and  had  it  not 


322  P'OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

been  that  the  Romans  were  close  at  hand  he  would 
at  once  have  given  his  men  orders  to  attack  the 
strangers.  He  stood  for  some  minutes  stroking  his 
beard,  and  then  said  : 

"  I  will  give  you  no  answer  now.  1  will  think 
over  what  you  say  till  to-morrow,  then  we  will  talk 
again." 

"  I  doubt  not  what  your  decision  will  be,"  John 
said.  "  You  are  a  brave  man,  Simon,  and  although 
you  have  done  much  harm  to  the  Jews,  yet  I  know 
that  you  will  defend  Jerusalem  to  the  end  against 
the  Romans.  You  need  feel  no  jealousy  of  me.  I 
aspire  to  no  leadership  or  power.  I  am  here  only 
to  fight,  and  six  hundred  such  men  as  mine  are  not 
to  be  despised  in  the  daV  of  trial.  Should  the 
Romans  march  away  baffled  before  the  walls,  I,  too, 
shall  leave,  and  you  who  remain  can  resume  your 
mad  struggles  if  you  will ;  but  I  think  that  in  the 
presence  of  the  enemy  all  strife  within  the  city 
should  cease,  and  that  we  should  be  as  one  man  in 
the  face  of  the  Romans." 

Simon  looked  with  surprise  and  some  admiration 
at  the  young  man  who  so  boldly  addressed  him. 
Savage  and  cruel  as  he  was,  Simon  was  a  man  of 
the  greatest  bravery.  He  had  none  of  the  duplicity 
and  treachery  which  characterized  John  of  Gischala, 
but  was  straightforward  and  in  his  way  honest. 
As  only  his  picture  has  come  down  to  us  as  de- 
scribed by  the  pen  of  Josephus,  who  at  the  time  of 
his  writing  his  history  had  become  thoroughly  a 
Roman,  and  who  elevated  Titus  and  his  troops  at 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  323 

the  expense  of  his  own  countrymen,  great  allowance 
must  be  made  for  the  dark  colors  in  which  he  is 
painted. 

The  fact  that  he  was  regarded  with  affection  and 
devotion  by  his  troops,  who  were  willing  to  go  to 
certain  death  at  his  orders,  shows  that  at  least  there 
must  have  been  many  good  qualities  in  him,  and 
history  records  no  instance  of  more  desperate  and 
sustained  bravery  than  he  exhibited  in  defense  of 
Jerusalem.  The  frankness  of  John's  speech,  in- 
stead of  angering  him,  pleased  him  much. 

"Enough,"  he  said;  "I  need  no  further  time  to 
reflect.  A  man  who  had  thought  of  treachery 
would  not  speak  so  boldly  and  fearlessly  as  you  do. 
Let  us  be  friends.  I  have  often  wondered  what 
sort  of  man  was  the  John  of  Gamala  of  whom  I 
have  heard  so  much,  and  who  has  so  long  kept  the 
field  against  the  Romans ;  and  although  I  wonder 
greatly  at  seeing  you  so  young  a  man,  j^et  I  rejoice 
that  so  valiant  a  fighter  should  be  here  to  aid  us  in 
the  struggle.     Here  is  my  hand  in  token  of  amity." 

John  took  the  hand  held  out  to  him,  and  a  shout 
of  satisfaction  rose  from  the  armed  men  on  either 
side,  the  follow^ers  of  John  being  rejoiced  that  they 
would  not  be  called  upon  to  engage  in  civil  strife, 
those  of  Simon  well  satisfied  that  they  were  not  to 
be  called  upon  to  attack  a  body  of  men  who  looked 
such  formidable  antagonists.  Just  at  this  moment 
a  man  rode  in  at  the  gate  saying  that  the  Romans 
were  but  two  miles  distant,  and  would  speedily 
make  their  appearance  over   the  Hill   of  Scopus. 


324  I^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Simon  ordered  a  part}'^  of  his  men  to  proceed  at 
once  to  Damascus  Gate,  and  to  close  it  as  soon  as 
the  Romans  were  visible.  Then  he  turned  again 
to  John. 

"  Come  up  with  me,"  he  said,  "  to  the  Palace  of 
Herod.  From  its  summit  we  can  see  the  enemy- 
approaching." 

Giving  orders  to  bis  men  to  lay  Uside  their  arms, 
and  calling  Jonas  to  accompany  him,  John  without 
hesitation  turned  to  accompany  Simon.  The  latter 
had  hardly  expected  him  to  accept  his  invitation, 
and  the  readiness  with  which  he  did  so  at  once 
pleased  and  gratified  him.  It  was  a  proof  of  fear- 
lessness, and  a  testimony  to  John's  belief  in  his 
faith  and  honor.  John  of  Gischala,  treacherous 
himself,  would  not  have  placed  himself  in  his 
power,  whatever  the  guarantee  he  gave  for  his 
safety ;  while  he  himself  would  not  have  confided 
himself  to  John  of  Gischala,  though  the  latter  had 
sworn  to  his  safety  with  his  hand  on  the  altar. 

John  himself  was  struck  with  the  rugged  gran- 
deur of  Simon's  appearance.  He  was  far  above  the 
stature  of  ordinary  men,  and  of  immense  strength, 
and  there  was  nevertheless  an  ease  and  lightness  in 
his  carriage  which  showed  that  he  was  no  less 
active  than  strong.  His  face  was  leonine  in  ex- 
pression ;  his  long  hair  fell  back  from  his  forehead  ; 
his  eyebrows  were  heavy ;  his  eyes  were  gray  and 
clear,  with  a  fierce  and  savage  expression  when  his 
brows  met  in  a  frown  and  his  lips  were  firmly  set, 
but  at  other  times  frank,  open,  and  straightforward 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  325 

in  their  look.  The  mouth  was  set  and  determined 
without  being  hard,  and  a  pleasant  smile  at  times 
lit  up  his  features.  He  was  a  man  capable  of  strong 
affections  and  generous  impulses. 

He  was  cruel  at  times :  but  it  was  an  age  of 
cruelty,  and  Titus  himself,  who  is  held  up  as  a 
magnanimous  general,  was  guilty  of  far  more 
hideous  cruelties  than  any  committed  by  Simon. 
Had  the  latter  been  master  of  Jerusalem  from  the 
first,  and  had  not  the  granaries  been  destroyed  in 
the  civil  war,  the  legions  of  Titus  would  never  have 
achieved  the  conquest  of  the  city. 

Ascending  the  steep  slope  of  the  valley  they 
passed  through  the  gate  in  the  first  wall,  and  turn- 
ing to  the  right  entered  the  Palace  of  Herod,  which 
was  at  once  a  royal  dwelling  and  a  fortress  of 
tremendous  strength. 

Much  as  John's  thoughts  were  otherwise  occupied, 
he  could  not  help  being  struck  by  the  magnificence 
and  splendor  of  this  noble  building ;  but  he  said 
nothing  as  Simon  strode  along  through  the  forum, 
passed  out  beyond  the  palace  itself,  entered  the 
strong  and  lofty  tower  of  Phasaelus,  and  ascended 
to  its  summit.  An  involuntary  exclamation  burst 
from  John  as  he  gained  the  platform.  From  the 
point  on  which  he  stood  he  commanded  a  view  of 
the  whole  city  and  of  the  country  round.  Far 
below  at  his  feet  lay  the  crowded  streets  of  the 
inner  town,  between  which  and  the  outer  wall  the 
ground  was  thickly  occupied  by  houses  of  the  better 
class  standing  half-embowered  in  trees.    Close  be- 


326  Il'OB  TEE  TEMPLE. 

side  him  rose  the  stately  towers  of  Hippicus  and 
Mariamne.  Behind  him.  was  the  Palace  of  Herod, 
standing  on  the  ground  once  occupied  by  the  Castle 
of  David.  On  the  east  the  Palace  of  Agrippa 
partly  obscured  the  view  of  the  Temple ;  but  a 
portion  of  the  building  could  be  seen  standing  on  its 
platform  on  the  summit  of  Mount  Moriah ;  to  its 
left,  and  connected  with  it  by  two  lines  of  cloisters, 
was  the  Castle  of  Antonia,  while  still  further  along 
was  the  fort  known  as  Acra.  Behind  the  Palace 
of  Herod  and  its  superb  gardens  were  scattered  the 
palaces  and  mansions  of  the  wealthy  Jews  and 
strangers,  which,  with  their  gardens,  occupied  the 
whole  of  the  upper  part  of  Mount  Zion.  On  the 
lower  slope  of  Mount  Mori^ah,  lying  between  the 
Yalley  of  Jehoshaphat  and  that  of  the  Tyropoeon, 
was  a  densely  populated  suburb  known  as  the  Kew 
Town. 

Westward,  beyond  the  Tower  of  Hippicus,  lay 
the  valley  of  Hinnom  with  the  Dragon  Pool  glisten- 
ing in  the  sun,  while  at  a  distance  of  four  or  five 
miles  to  the  southward  could  be  seen  the  village  of 
Bethlehem.  The  whole  country  outside  the  walls 
was  a  garden,  with  countless  villas,  mansions,  and 
groves  of  trees.  For  some  minutes  John  looked 
round  in  admiration  of  the  scene,  while  Simon  stood 
with  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the  road  crossing  Mount 
Scopus.  Suddenly  he  uttered  an  exclamation,  and 
John  joined  him  and  looked  in  the  direction  in 
which  he  was  gazing.  The  white  line  of  the  road 
was  darkened  by  a  moving  mass,  sparkling  as  the 
sun  shone  on  arms  and  armor. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  327 

"  They  come  at  last,"  Siraon  said,  and  as  he  spoke 
cries  of  wailing  and  lamentation  were  heard  from 
the  walls  far  below  them.  The  four  years  that  had 
elapsed  since  danger  first  threatened  Jerusalem  had 
deepened  the  impression  in  the  minds  of  the  Jews 
that  the  enemy  would  not  be  permitted  to  approach 
the  Holy  City.  It  was  true  that  their  faith  had 
been  sorely  shaken  by  many  strange  prodigies.  A 
strange  light  had  shone  about  the  altar  and  the 
Temple,  and  it  was  said  that  voices  had  been  heard 
from  the  Holy  of  Holies,  saying,  "  Let  us  depart 
hence." 

The  Beautiful  Gate  of  the  Temple,  which  required 
the  strength  of  twent}'^  men  to  close  it,  had  opened 
of  its  own  accord.  War  chariots  and  armies  had 
been  seen  contending  in  the  clouds,  and  for  months 
a  great  comet,  in  shape  like  a  flaming  sword,  had 
hung  over  the  city.  Still  men  had  hoped,  and  the 
cry  from  the  watchers  that  the  Roman  army  was 
in  sight  struck  dismay  among  the  inhabitants. 
There  were  still  many  without  the  walls ;  some  of 
these  rushed  wildly  into  the  gates  and  entered  the 
city,  while  the  wiser  fled  away  to  the  hills  and 
made  their  way  to  their  homes. 

Titus,  as  he  reached  the  brow  of  Mount  Scopus, 
reined  in  his  horse  and  looked  for  some  time  in  silence 
at  the  great  and  magnificent  city  which  extended 
before  him,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  he 
would  fain  have  spared  it  had  it  been  possible. 
Even  a  Roman  could  not  gaze  on  the  massive 
beauty  of  the  Temple  unmoved.     It  was  the  most 


328  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

famous  religious  edifice  in  the  world.  From  all 
parts  pilgrims  flocked  to  it,  and  kings  made  offer- 
ings to  it.  It  was  believed  by  the  Jews  to  be  the 
special  seat  of  their  deity  ;  and  the  Romans,  partly 
from  policy,  partly  from  superstition,  paid  respect 
and  reverence  to  the  gods  of  all  the  nations  they 
subdued,  and  annual  offerings  had  been  sent  by 
Rome  to  the  Temple. 

Titus  may  well  have  wished  to  spare  the  city  the 
ruin  and  misery  of  a  siege,  to  preserve  the  Temple 
intact,  and  to  band  over  to  King  Agrippa  uninjured 
his  palace  and  capital.  In  all  the  wide  dominions 
of  Rome  there  was  not  a  city  which  approached 
Jerusalem  in  beauty  and  grandeur  ;  and  Titus  must 
have  felt  that  whatever  honor  would  accrue  to  him 
from  its  conquest,  \vould  be  dearly  purchased  by 
the  linking  of  his  name  to  all  time  as  the  destroyer 
of  so  magnificent  a  city.  Similar  emotions  were 
felt  by  the  group  af  officers  who  rode  with  Titus, 
and  who  reined  up  their  horses  as  he  did  so.  With 
them  the  military  point  of  view  was  doubtless  the 
most  prominent,  and  as  they  saw  from  their  lofty 
vantage-ground  how  the  deep  valleys  of  Hinnom 
and  Jehoshaphat  girt  the  city  in  on  either  side, 
and  how  stately  and  strong  were  the  walls  and 
towers,  they  may  well  have  felt  how  mighty  was 
the  task  which  they  had  before  them. 

The  scene  was  calm  and  peaceful.  No  sound  of 
warlike  trumpets  came  from  the  walls  ;  no  signs  of 
an  enemy  appeared  without;  and  Titus  rode  on 
past  the  deserted  villas  and  beautiful  grounds  that 


FOB  TEE  TEMPLE.  329 

bordered  the  road,  until  he  neared  the  Damascus 
Gate.  He  was  accompanied  by  six  hundred  horse, 
for  the  legions  had  encamped  in  the  Yaliey  of 
Thorns,  near  the  village  of  Gaboth  Saul,  some  four 
miles  from  Jerusalem. 

The  walls  appeared  deserted,  but  Titus,  having 
experience  of  the  desperate  courage  of  the  Jews, 
paused  at  some  little  distance  from  the  gate,  and 
turning  to  the  right  entered  a  lane  which  ran 
parallel  to  the  wall,  and  made  his  way  toward  the 
Tower  of  Psephinus,  or  the  Kubble  Tower,  at  the 
northeastern  angle  of  the  outer  wall.  Suddenly  a 
gate  dear  the  Tower  of  the  Women  was  thrown 
open,  and  a  crowd  of  armed  men  dashed  out. 
Rushing  forward  at  the  top  of  their  speed,  some 
threw  themselves  across  the  road  which  Titus  was 
following ;  but  most  of  them  rushed  in  behind  him, 
cutting  him  off  from  the  main  body  of  his  cavalry, 
and  leaving  him  isolated  with  but  a  few  followers. 

The  main  body  of  Roman  cavalry,  furiously 
assailed,  and  ignorant  that  Titus  was  cut  off  from 
them,  turned  and  fled.  Titus  hesitated  a  moment. 
In  front  of  him  was  an  unknown  country,  he  knew 
not  whither  the  lane  he  was  following  led,  hedges 
rose  on  either  side,  and  even  did  he  burst  through 
the  crowd  in  front  of  him  he  might  be  overwhelmed 
by  missiles  as  he  rode  on.  Therefore,  calling  upon 
his  men  to  follow  him  he  turned  round  and  dashed 
into  the  crowd  which  barred  his  retreat. 

He  wore  neither  helmet  nor  breastplate,  for  as  he 
had  only  advanced   to   reconnoiter,  and  with    no 


330  ^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

thought  of  fighting,  these  had  been  left  behind. 
Yet,  though  javelins  flew  around  him  in  showers 
and  arrows  whizzed  close  to  him,  not  one  touched 
him  as  he  struck  right  and  left  among  those  who 
barred  his  passage,  while  his  war-horse,  excited  by 
the  shouts  and  tumult,  trampled  them  under  his 
feet. 

In  vain  the  Jews,  astonished  at  his  bravery,  and 
still  more  so  at  his  immunity  from  harm  amid  the 
shower  of  missiles,  strove  to  seize  him.  He  and  his 
little  band  cut  his  way  onward,  those  in  front 
drawing  back  with  almost  superstitious  fear  from 
his  attack. 

Two  only  of  bis  followers  were  slain :  one  fell 
pierced  with  numerous  javelins,  another  was  pulled 
from  his  horse  and  killed ;  but  with  the  rest  he 
emerged  unharmed  from  among  his  assailants  and 
reached  his  camp  in  safety. 

The  soldiers  of  Simon,  for  it  was  his  men  who 
guarded  this  part  of  the  wall,  returned  with  mingled 
feelings.  They  were  triumphant  that  they  had 
caused  the  son  of  CaBsar  himself  to  fly  before  them. 
They  were  humiliated  that  so  great  a  prize  should 
have  escaped  them  when  he  seemed  in  their  hands, 
and  they  had  a  superstitious  feeling  that  he  had 
been  divinely  protected  from  their  assaults. 

From  their  lookout  Simon  and  John  had  seen  the 
Roman  cavalry  turn  off  from  the  Damascus  road 
into  the  lane,  and  had  then  lost  sight  of  them. 
Then  they  heard  the  sudden  din  of  battle  and  the 
shouts  of   the   combatants,    and    saw   the   Roman 


FOR  THE  TBMPLB.  331 

cavalry  riding  off  in  full  speed,  but  the  clamor  had 
continued,  and  in  a  short  time  another  little  party 
of  horsemen  were  seen  to  issue  from  the  lane  and 
follow  their  companions.     Simon  laughed  grimly. 

"We  have  taught  the  Romans  early  that  the 
wasps  have  stings,  and  that  if  they  think  they  are 
going  to  take  the  nest  without  trouble  they  will  be 
mistaken.  And  now,  John,  what  do  you  advise? 
You  were,  they  say,  at  Jotapata  and  Gamala,  and 
3'ou  have  since  shown  how  well  you  understand  the 
Roman  tactics.  I  am  a  soldier  with  an  arm  to 
strike,  but  so  far  I  have  not  had  experience  in  the 
Roman  tactics  at  sieges.  Tell  me  what  would  you 
do  first  were  you  commander  of  this  city  ?" 

"  There  is  no  doubt  what  is  the  first  thing  to  be 
done,"  John  said.  "  It  is  the  duty  of  all  within  this 
city  to  lay  aside  their  feuds  and  unite  in  her 
defense.  It  is  for  you,  as  the  strongest,  to  make 
the  first  advance,  and  to  send  at  once  to  John  and 
Eleazar  to  propose  that  so  long  as  the  Romans  are 
before  the  city  there  shall  be  a  truce  between  you, 
and  to  arrange  which  part  of  the  walls  shall  be  held 
by  the  soldiers  of  each.  You  must  also  arrange  to 
unite  for  common  action,  both  in  the  defense  and 
in  attacking  them  without  the  walls  ;  for  it  is  only 
by  disturbing  them  at  their  work,  and  by  hindering 
them  as  they  bring  forward  their  engines  of  war, 
that  you  can  hope  to  hold  the  city.  Strong  as  \^our 
walls  may  be,  they  will  crumble  to  ruins  when 
the  battering-rams  once  begin  their  work  against 
them." 


332  ^OR  THE  TEMPLES. 

Simon  was  silent  for  a  minute  ;  then  he  said : 

"  Your  advice  is  good.  I  will  send  »t  once  to 
John  and  Eleazar  and  ask  them  to  meet  me  on  the 
bridge  across  the  Tyropoeon,  which  separates  our 
forces." 

The  sun  was  already  setting,  but  the  distance  was 
short.  Simon  advanced  to  the  bridge,  and,  hailing 
the  Zealots  on  the  other  side,  said  that  he  desired 
an  interview  with  John  in  reference  to  the  defense 
of  the  city,  and  that  he  pledged  his  solemn  oath 
that  no  harm  should  come  to  him.  He  sent  a 
similar  message  to  Eleazar.  John  shortly  appeared, 
for  from  the  summit  of  Antonia  he  too  had  watched 
the  advancing  Romans,  and  felt  the  necessity  for 
common  action  for  defense  of  the  town. 

Eleazar  refused  to  come.  He  would  have  trusted 
Simon,  but  to  reach  the  meeting-place  he  would 
have  had  to  pass  through  the  outer  courts  of  the 
Temple  held  by  John,  and  he  knew  that  no  confi- 
dence could  be  reposed  in  any  oath  that  the  latter 
might  take.  He  sent  word,  however,  that  he  was 
willing  to  abstain  from  all  hostilities,  and  to  make 
common  cause  with  the  others  for  the  defense  of  the 
city.  John  of  Gischala  advanced  alone  on  to  the 
bridge,  a  wide  and  stately  edifice  carried  on  lofty 
arches  across  the  Tyropoeon  Yalley,  from  a  point 
near  the  Palace  of  Agrippa  to  the  platform  of  the 
Temple. 

"  Come  with  me,"  Simon  said  to  his  companion. 
John  of  Gischala  paused  in  his  advance  as  he  saw 
that  Simon  was  not  alone. 


IrOR  THE  TEMPLM.  333 

"  Let  one  of  your  men  come  with  you  if  you  like," 
Simon  said  with  a  grim  laugh  at  his  hesitation,  "  or 
two,  or  six  if  you  like."  But  John  of  Gischala  knew 
that  the  eyes  of  the  soldiers  on  both  sides  of  the 
bridge  were  upon  him,  and  having  faith  in  the  oath 
of  Simon  he  again  advanced. 

John  looked  with  curiosity  at  the  man  of  whom 
he  had  heard  so  much,  and  who,  having  been  a 
scourge  to  Upper  Galilee  with  his  horde  of  robbers, 
had  now  brought  such  misery  upon  Jerusalem. 
"Without  approaching  his  rival  in  size  and  strength, 
John  of  Gischala  was  a  powerfully  built  man.  He 
did  not  shrink  from  danger,  and  had  upon  occasion 
shown  great  bravery  ;  but  he  relied  upon  craft  more 
than  force  to  gain  his  ends. 

He  possessed  great  power  of  oratory,  could  rouse 
men's  passions  or  calm  them  at  will.  He  could 
cajole  or  threaten,  persuade  or  deceive,  with  equal 
facility,  was  always  ready  to  break  an  oath  if  it  was 
inconvenient  to  keep  it.  Although  fond  of  power, 
he  was  still  more  greedy  of  gain  ;  but  in  one  respect 
he  and  Simon  agreed,  both  hated  the  Romans  with 
an  intense  and  bitter  hatred,  both  were  ready  to  die 
in  defense  of  Jerusalem. 

"  I  think  it  is  time,  John,"  Simon  said,  "  to  cease 
from  our  strife  for  the  present,  and  to  make  com- 
mon cause  against  the  enemy.  If  we  continue  our 
dissensions,  and  the  Romans  in  consequence  take 
the  city,  our  names  will  be  accursed  in  all  genera- 
tions as  the  men  who  gave  Jerusalem  into  the  hands 
of  the  Romans." 


334  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  I  am  ready  to  agree  to  a  truce,"  John  of  Gischa, 
la  said.  "  It  is  you  who  have  been  attacking  me, 
not  I  who  have  been  attacking  you ;  but  we  need 
not  talk  of  that  now.  Is  it  to  be  an  understood 
thing  that  if  the  Romans  retire  we  shall  both  occu- 
py the  positions  we  hold  now,  whatever  changes 
may  have  taken  place,  and  we  can  then  either  come 
to  an  understanding  or  fight  the  matter  out  ?" 

"  Yes,  that  is  what  I  would  propose,"  Simon  re- 
plied. "Whatever  changes  may  take  place,  when 
the  Romans  retire  we  occupy  exactly  the  positions 
vfQ  hold  now.  Will  you  swear  to  that  by  the  Tem- 
ple ?" 

« I  will,"  John  said. 

The  two  men  each  took  a^  solemn  oath  to  carry 
out  the  terms  they  agreed  upon,  and  throughout  the 
siege  to  put  aside  all  enmity  toward  each  other,  and 
to  act  together  in  all  things  for  the  defense  of  thecity. 
They  then  arranged  as  to  the  portion  of  the  wall 
which  each  should  occupy,  these  corresponding  very 
nearly  to  the  lines  which  they  at  present  held. 
Simon  held  the  whole  of  the  third  wall,  which, 
commencing  from  Hippicus,  the  tower  at  the  north 
corner  of  the  high  town,  ran  northward  to  Psephi- 
nus,  or  the  Rubble  Tower,  then  eastward  to  the 
Yalley  of  Jehoshaphat,  and  again  south  to  the 
Temple  platform. 

The  second  wall,  inclosing  the  inner  low  town,  or 
Inner  Acra,  as  it  was  sometimes  called,  was  divided 
between  the  two.  Simon  also  held  the  first  wall 
from  Hippicus  right  round  at  the  foot  of  Zion  across 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  335 

the  lower  end  of  the  Tyropoeon  Yalley,  and  round 
the  outer  low  town  as  far  as  the  platform  of  the 
Temple.  John  held  the  Temple  platform,  the  mid- 
dle low  town,  and  some  parts  of  the  city  immedi- 
ately adjacent,  both  on  the  south  slope  of  Mount 
Moriah  or  Ophel,  as  this  portion  of  the  hill  was 
called,  and  part  of  the  inner  low  town. 

The  line,  therefore,  which  Simon  had  to  defend 
was  vastly  greater  than  that  held  by  John's  troops, 
but  in  fact  the  whole  line  bordering  the  valleys  of 
Hinnom  and  Jehoshaphat  was  practically  unassaila- 
ble, the  wall  being  built  along  the  edge  of  precipices, 
where  it  could  not  be  attacked  either  with  battering- 
rams  or  by  escalade,  and  it  was  really  the  north  face 
of  the  city  only  that  was  exposed  to  serious  assault. 
The  outer  wall  on  this  side,  that  against  which  the 
assault  would  first  be  made,  was  entirely  occupied 
by  Simon's  troops ;  but  it  was  not  anticipated  that 
any  successful  resistance  could  be  made  here,  for  the 
walls  hastily  raised  by  the  Jews  after  turning  out 
the  Romans  were  incapable  of  offering  a  long  re- 
sistance to  such  a  force  as  was  now  to  assail  it.  It 
was,  then,  at  the  second  wall  that  the  first  great 
stand  would  be  made,  and  John  and  Simon's  troops 
divided  this  between  them,  so  that  the  division  was 
fair  enough  when  it  was  considered  that  Simon's 
force  was  more  than  double  that  of  John.  "When 
this  matter  had  been  arranged,  John  of  Gischala 
said  to  Simon  : 

"  Who  is  this  young  man  who  accompanies  j'^ou  ?" 
"  He  is  one  who  has  done  much  more  for  the  cause 


336  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

than  either  you  or  I,  John  of  Gischala,  and  indeed 
hitherto  it  may  be  doubted  whether  we  have  not 
been  the  two  worst  enemies  of  Jerusalem.  This  is 
John  of  Gamala,  of  whom  we  heard  so  often  during 
the  last  three  years." 

"  This  John  of  Gamala  !"  John  repeated  in  a  tone 
of  incredulity  ;  "  you  are  mocking  me,  Simon." 

"  I  mock  no  one,"  Simon  said  sternly.  "  I  tell  you 
this  is  John  of  Garaala ;  and  when  we  think  that 
3'^ou  and  I,  men  of  war,  have  as  yet  struck  no  single 
blow  against  the  Romans  since  1  aided  in  the  defeat 
of  the  legion  of  Cestius — for  you  £ed  from  Gischala 
like  a  coward  at  night,  while  I  have  been  fighting 
for  my  own  hand  down  here — we  may  well  feel 
ashamed,  both  of  us,  in  the  presence  of  this  youth, 
who  has  for  three  years  harassed  the  Romans,  burn- 
ing their  camps,  driving  out  small  garrisons,  hinder- 
ing pilhigers  from  straying  over  the  country,  cutting 
off  their  convoys,  and  forcing  them  to  keep  ever  on 
the  watch.  I  tell  you.  John,  I  feel  ashamed  beside 
him.  He  has  brought  here  six  hundred  men  of  his 
band,  all  picked  and  determined  fellows,  for  the 
defense  of  the  city.  I  tell  you  they  will  be  no 
mean  assistance,  and  you  would  say  so  also  had  you 
seen  how  they  drew  up  to-day  in  solid  order  ready 
to  withstand  the  whole  of  ray  force.  He  is  not  of 
my  party  or  of  yours  ;  he  comes  simply  to  fight 
against  the  Romans,  and,  as  I  understand  him,  when 
the  Romans  retire  he  will  leave  also." 

"  That  is  certainly  my  intention,"  John  said 
quietly ;  "  but  before  I  go  I  hope  that  I  shall  be 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  337 

able  to  act  as  mediator  between  you  both,  and  to 
persuade  you  to  come  to  some  arrangement  which 
may  free  Jerusalem  from  a  renewal  of  the  evils 
which,  between  you,  you  have  inflicted  upon  her. 
If  you  beat  back  the  Romans  you  will  have  gained 
all  the  honor  that  men  could  desire,  and  your  names 
■will  go  down  to  all  posterit}'^  as  the  saviors  of 
Jerusalem  and  the  Temple.  If  you  desire  treas- 
ure, there  is  not  a  Jew  but  that  will  be  ready  to 
contribute  to  the  utmost  of  his  power.  If  you 
desire  power,  Palestine  is  wide  enough  for  you  to 
divide  it  between  you,  only  beware  lest  by  striving 
longer  against  each  other  your  names  go  down  as 
those  who  have  been  the  t3'rants  of  the  land,  names 
to  be  accursed  as  long  as  the  Hebrew  tongue  re- 
mains." 

The  two  men  were  silent.  Bold  as  they  were, 
they  felt  abashed  before  the  outspoken  rebuke  of 
this  stripling.  They  had  heard  him  spoken  of  as 
one  under  the  special  protection  of  Jehovah.  They 
knew  that  he  had  had  marvelous  escapes,  and  that 
he  had  fought  single-handed  with  Titus ;  and  the 
air  of  authority  with  which  he  spoke,  his  entire  dis- 
regard of  their  power,  his  fearlessness  in  the  pres- 
ence of  men  before  whom  all  Jerusalem  trembled, 
confirmed  the  stories  they  had  heard,  and  created 
an  impression  almost  to  awe. 

"  If  we  three  are  alive  when  the  Romans  depart 
from  before  the  city,"  Simon  said  in  his  deep  voice, 
"  it  shall  be  as  you  say,  and  I  bind  myself  before- 
hand to  agree  to  whatever  you  shall  decide  is  just 


338  ^OR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

and  right.  Therefore,  John  of  Gischala,  henceforth 
I  shall  regard  this  not  as  a  truce,  but  as  the  begin- 
ning of  peace  between  us,  and  our  rivalry  shall  be 
who  shall  best  defend  the  Holy  City  against  her 
foes." 

"  So  be  it !"  John  of  Gischala  replied  ;  "  but  I 
would  that  Eleazar  were  here.  He  is  an  enemy  in 
ray  midst,  and  just  as,  whenever  I  was  fighting 
with  you,  he  fell  upon  rae  from  behind,  so  will  it  be 
that  while  I  am  struggling  with  the  Romans  he 
may  be  attacking  me  from  the  inner  Temple.  He 
has  none  of  the  outer  walls  to  defend,  and  will 
therefore  be  free  to  choose  the  moment  when  he 
can  fall  upon  me  unawares." 

"  Make  peace  with  him  at  any  price,"  John  said, 
"  only  put  an  end  to  this  strife  and  let  there  be  no 
more  bloodshed  in  the  Temple.  How  can  we  hope 
for  God's  assistance  in  defending  the  city  when  his 
altars  are  being  dail}'^  desecrated  with  blood  ?" 

"  I  will  see  what  I  can  do,"  John  said.  "  Some- 
how or  other  this  strife  must  be  brought  to  an  end, 
and  it  shall  be  done  without  bloodshed  if  possible." 

"  There  is  another  thing,  John,"  Simon  said. 
"  Our  comrade  here  has  been  telling  me  that  from 
what  he  saw  at  Jotapata  and  Gamala  he  is  con- 
vinced that  by  passive  resistance  only  we  cannot 
defeat  the  Romans  ;  but  that  we  must  sally  out  and 
attack  them  in  their  camps  and  at  their  work,  and 
therefore  let  us  agree  that  we  will  meet  here  from 
time  to  time  and  arrange    that,  issuing   together 


FOH  THE  TEMPLE.  839 

through  the  gates  in  our  portions  of  the  wall,  we 
may  unite  in  falling  upon  the  Koraans." 

"  The  counsel  is  good,"  John  of  Gischala  said. 
"  It  will  keep  up  the  courage  of  men  to  fight  in  the 
open.  Whenever  an  opportunity  presents  itself  my 
men  shall  act  with  yours.  You  have  given  Titus  a 
lesson  to-day.  The  next  time  we  will  divide  the 
honor." 


340  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THE    SIEGE     IS    BEGUN. 


The  Fifth  Legion,  which  had  been  stationed  at 
Emmaus,  half-way  between  Jerusalem  and  Jaffa, 
marching  the  greater  part  of  the  night,  joined  the 
Twelfth  and  Fifteenth  at  their  halting-place  at 
Gaboth  Saul,  and  the  next  morning  the  three  ad- 
vanced together.  The  Twelfth  and  Fifteenth 
marched  half-way  down  the  Hill  of  Scopus  and  en- 
camped together  on  a  knoll,  while  the  Fifth 
Legion  encamped  .three  furlongs  to  their  rear,  so 
that  in  case  of  an  attack  by  the  Jews  its  weary 
soldiers  should  not  have  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the 
conflict.  As  these  legions  were  marking  out  their 
camp  the  Tenth  Legion,  which  had  marched  up 
from  Jericho,  appeared  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and 
Titus  sent  word  for  them  to  encamp  there. 

Thus  Jerusalem  w^as  overlooked  throughout  its 
length  and  breadth  by  the  Roman  camps  on  the 
hills  to  the  north  and  east  sides.  John  had  at  the 
earnest  request  of  Simon  taken  up  his  residence 
with  him  in  the  Palace  of  Herod,  and  from  the  top 
of  the  Tower  of  Phasaelus  watched  the  Roman 
legions  at  work. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE,  341 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  he  said  to  Simon,  "  that  now  is 
the  time  for  us  to  make  an  assault.  The  Komans 
raise  veritable  fortifications  round  their  camp,  and 
when  once  these  are  completed  we  can  scarcely 
hope  to  storm  them,  whereas  if  we  fall  suddenly 
upon  them  now  we  can  fight  on  even  terms.  The 
legion  on  the  Mount  of  Olives  is  widely  separated 
from  the  rest,  and  we  might  overcome  it  before  the 
others  could  come  to  its  assistance." 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  Simon  said ;  "  let  us  strike  a 
blow  at  once." 

Simon  at  once  sent  off  to  John  to  propose  that 
the  latter  should  issue  out  from  the  Golden  Gate  in 
the  middle  of  the  Temple  platform,  while  he  himself 
would  lead  out  his  troops  by  the  gate  to  the  north 
of  that  platform.  In  accordance  with  the  sugges- 
tion of  John  he  requested  John  of  Gischala  to  place 
a  watchman  on  a  conspicuous  position  on  the  wall, 
with  orders  to  wave  his  mantle  as  a  signal  to  both 
parties  to  charge,  as  from  his  position  he  would  be 
better  able  than  they  to  see  what  the  Romans  were 
doing,  and  both  parties  could  see  him,  while  they 
might  be  invisible  to  each  other. 

John  of  Gischala  sent  back  at  once  to  say  that  he 
approved  of  the  plan,  and  would  join  in  it.  Simon 
called  his  troops  together,  and  leaving  the  outer 
wall  strongly  manned  lest  the  Twelfth  and  Fif- 
teenth Legions  might  take  advantage  of  the  absence 
of  so  large  a  portion  of  the  garrison  to  make  a  sud- 
den attack  upon  it,  marched  toward  the  northeast- 
ern gate,  being  joined  on  the  way  by  John  with  his 


342  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

band.  They  waited  until  a  messenger  came  from 
John  of  Gischala,  saying  that  he  was  ready,  then 
the  gates  were  thrown  open  and  the  troops  poured 
out.  John  had  given  strict  orders  to  his  men  to 
keep  together  in  their  companies,  each  under  his 
commander,  and  not  to  try  to  maintain  regular 
order  as  one  band,  for  this  would  be  next  to  impos- 
sible fighting  on  such  hilly  and  broken  ground  ;  be- 
sides, they  would  be  sure  to  get  mixed  up  with  the 
masses  of  Simon's  troops. 

At  the  same  moment  that  Simon's  force  poured 
through  the  northeastern  gate,  that  of  John  of 
Gischala  issued  from  the  Temple  platform,  and  in 
rivalry  with  each  other  both  dashed  down  the  steep 
declivity  into  the  bottom  of  the  Yalley  of  Jehosha- 
phat,  and  then  climbed  the  sharp  slope  of  the  Mount 
of  Olives.  Then  with  loud  shouts  they  fell,  in  wild 
disorder,  each  as  he  reached  the  spot,  upon  the 
Tenth  Legion. 

The  Eomans,  anticipating  no  attack  and  many  of 
them  unarmed  as  they  worked  at  the  intrench- 
ments,  were  unable  to  resist  the  fierce  onslaught. 
Accustomed  to  regular  warfare,  this  rush  of  armed 
men  from  all  sides  upon  them  surprised  and  discon- 
certed them.  Every  moment  added  to  the  number 
of  their  assailants  as  fresh  combatants  continued  to 
pour  out  from  the  city,  and  fighting  stubbornly 
and  sullenly  the  Koraans  were  driven  out  of  their 
half-formed  intrenchments  up  the  slope  and  over  the 
crest  of  the  Mount  of  Olives. 

The  Jews  fought  regardless  of  life ;  single  men 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  343 

dashed  into  the  midst  of  the  Romans  and  fell  there 
fighting  fiercely  ;  John's  compact  companies  hurled 
themselves  upon  the  line  and  broke  it.  Simon 
fought  desperately  at  the  head  of  his  men,  cutting 
down  all  who  stood  in  his  way.  The  Romans  were 
wavering  and  would  soon  have  broken  into  open 
flight,  when  rescue  arrived.  The  general  in  com- 
mand had,  immediately  the  Jews  had  been  seen 
issuing  out,  sent  off  a  horseman  to  Titus  with  the 
news,  and  he,  putting  himself  at  the  head  of  his 
body-guard,  started  instantly  to  their  assistance. 

Falling  suddenly  upon  the  flank  of  the  Jews  he 
bore  them  down  by  the  impetuosity  and  weight  of 
the  charge.  In  vain  Simon  and  John  of  Gischala 
tried  to  rally  their  men,  and  John's  bands  gathering 
round  him  at  the  sound  of  his  bugle  opposed  a  firm 
and  steady  resistance.  The  Roman  legion  rallied, 
and,  ashamed  of  having  been  driven  back  before  the 
very  eyes  of  Titus,  attacked  the  Jews  with  fury,  and 
the  latter  were  driv^en  down  the  hill  into  the 
valley. 

Here  John's  band  refused  to  retire  further,  Simon 
and  John  of  Gischala  rallied  their  troops,  and  an 
obstinate  contest  ensued,  the  Romans  being  unable 
to  push  the  Jews  further  back  now  that  the  latter 
were  in  turn  fighting  with  the  ground  in  their  favor. 
For  some  time  the  battle  raged  ;  then  Titus,  seeing 
that  he  could  not  drive  the  Jews  back  into  the  city, 
ordered  a  portion  of  the  Tenth  Legion  to  reascend 
the  Mount  of  Olives  and  complete  the  work  of  for- 
tifying their  camp,  so  that  at  the  end  of  the  day 
the  legion  could  fall  back  to  a  place  of  safety. 


344  V'OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

The  watchman  on  the  wall  saw  the  movement, 
and  thought  that  the  Romans  were  retreating.  He 
waved  his  mantle  wildly,  and  at  the  signal  the  Jews 
again  burst  down  upon  their  foes,  and  fresh  forces 
poured  down  from  the  gates  to  their  assistance.  In 
vain  the  Roman  line  tried  to  hold  the  bottom  of  the 
valley  ;  the  Jews  burst  through  them  and  drove 
them  in  disorder  up  the  hill,  Titus  alone,  with  a 
few  followers,  making  a  stand  on  the  lower  slopes. 
The  Jews,  rushing  on,  surrounded  his  party  and  fell 
upon  him  from  all  sides,  while  their  main  body 
swarmed  up  the  hill,  and  the  Romans,  panic- 
stricken,  dispersed  in  all  directions. 

Yictory  seemed  in  the  hands  of  the  Jews,  when 
some  of  the  Romans  discovered  that  Titus  was  not 
with  them,  but  was  cut  off  and  surrounded  at  the 
bottom  of  the  hill.  They  shouted  to  others,  and  the 
news  rapidly  spread  through  the  fugitives.  Over- 
whelmed with  shame  at  having  deserted  their 
general,  and  knowing  the  severe  punishment  which 
according  to  Roman  military  law  would  befall 
them  for  their  cowardice,  the  Romans  paused  in 
their  flight. 

Their'  discipline  came  to  their  aid,  and  they 
quickly  fell  in  in  companies,  and  with  a  shout  of 
fury  advanced  upon  the  scattered  Jews,  who,  al- 
though vastly  superior  in  numbers,  had  no  order  or 
formation  which  would  enable  them  to  resist  the 
downward  impetus  of  the  solid  masses  of  heavy- 
armed  Romans.  Again  they  were  driven  down  the 
hill,  and  the  Romans,  pressing  upon  them,  found  to 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  345 

their  delight  that  Titus  and  his  band  had  success- 
fully resisted  the  attacks  of  their  foes. 

The  Jews  were  driven  some  distance  up  the  side 
of  the  slope  and  there  the  combat  was  renewed, 
until,  seeing  that  they  could  make  no  further  im- 
pression upon  the  enemy,  the  Jews  retired  sullenly 
through  their  gates  into  the  city.  The}-"  were,  how- 
ever, well  satisfied  with  their  day's  work.  Numbers 
had  fallen,  but  they  had  inflicted  heavy  loss  upon 
the  Romans.  They  had  forced  one  of  the  legions  to 
retreat  in  fair  fight,  had  all  but  captured  Titus,  and 
had  proved  to  the  Komans  the  formidable  nature  of 
the  task  they  had  undertaken. 

The  next  day,  the  13th  of  April,  was  the  day  of 
the  Passover,  and  all  Jerusalem  prepared  as  usual 
to  celebrate  the  day  of  the  great  sacrifice.  The 
gates  of  the  Temple  were  as  usual  thrown  open, 
and  the  multitude  thronged  in  to  worship.  John  of 
Gischala  had  sworn  to  Eleazar,  as  he  had  to  Simon, 
to  lay  aside  all  hostility,  but  as  usual  he  did  not 
allow  his  oath  to  prevent  him  from  carrying  out  his 
designs.-  A  number  of  his  men  concealed  their  arms 
under  their  garments,  and  entered  the  Temple  with 
the  vsrorshipers. 

At  a  signal  the  swords  were  drawn  and  the  cry 
of  battle  was  raised.  Eleazar  and  his  followers  at 
once  fled  in  dismay  to  the  vaults  under  the  Temple. 
The  multitude  in  the  courts  above,  panic-stricken  at 
the  threatened  conflict,  strove  to  escape.  Many 
were  trampled  under  foot  and  killed ;  some  were 
wantonly  slain  by  John's  followers,  to  whom  mur- 
der had  become  a  pastimo. 


346  ^R  THE  TEMPLE. 

When  order  was  restored  John  of  Gischala  went 
to  the  entrance  of  the  vaults  and  shouted  to  Eleazar 
that  he  desired  to  keep  his  oath  and  would  do  him 
no  harm,  but  that  for  the  general  safety  of  the  city 
he  could  be  no  longer  permitted  to  hold  the  inner 
Temple,  but  must  with  his  men  take  his  share  in  the 
defense  of  the  walls.  If  Eleazar  would  agree  to  do 
this  he  promised  that  no  harm  whatever  should  be 
done  to  him  or  his  followers.  Eleazar  being  at  the 
mercy  of  his  foe,  accepted  the  terms  and  with  his 
followers  ascended  into  the  Temple. 

For  once  John  of  Gischala  kept  his  word :  Eleazar 
was  permitted  to  retain  the  command  of  his  own 
two  thousand  men,  but  his  force  henceforth  formed 
a  part  of  the  Zealot  army  of  John.  Thus  from  this 
time  forward  there  were  but  two  factions  in  the 
city. 

Josephus,  always  the  bitter  enemy  of  John  of 
Gischala,  speaks  in  terms  of  the  utmost  reprobation 
of  his  conduct  on  this  occasion,  and  the  occasion  and 
manner  in  which  the  deed  was  effected  cannot  for  a 
moment  be  defended.  At  the  same  time  it  must  be 
admitted  that  the  occasion  was  an  urgent  one,  that 
the  existence  of  this  enemy  in  his  midst  crippled 
John  of  Gischala's  power  to  defend  his  portion  of 
the  city,  and  that  the  suppression  of  Eleazar's  fac- 
tion and  the  conversion  of  his  troops  from  enemies 
into  allies  was  an  act  of  high  policy,  and  was  indeed 
a  necessity,  if  Jerusalem  was  to  be  successfully 
defended. 

The  desecration  of  the  Temple,  however,  upon  so 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  347 

sacred  an  occasion  as  the  feast  of  the  Passover, 
filled  all  pious  Jews  with  horror,  and  caused  John 
to  be  regarded  with  even  greater  detestation  than 
before.  For  the  opinion  of  the  unarmed  multitude, 
however,  he  cared  little.  He  had  crushed  the  fac- 
tion of  Eleazer,  had  added  two  thousand  men  to  his 
strength,  and  was  now  ready,  without  fear  of  trouble 
within,  to  face  the  Roman  enemy  without. 

The  desperate  sortie  of  the  Jews  had  convinced 
Titus  that  if  Jerusalem  was  to  be  taken  it  must  be 
by  means  of  regular  siege  operations,  conducted 
with  the  greatest  care  and  caution,  and  having  made 
a  circuit  of  the  city  he  perceived  that  it  was 
impregnable  save  on  the  north  and  northwestern 
sides,  that  is,  the  part  defended  by  the  third  wail. 

He  reluctantly,  therefore,  gave  orders  that  all  the 
villas,  mansions,  gardens,  and  groves  standing  be- 
tween that  wall  and  the  foot  of  Mount  Scopus 
should  be  destroyed,  and  placing  strong  bodies  of 
troops  opposite  the  gates  to  prevent  any  sortie  of 
the  defenders,  he  set  the  whole  of  the  three  legions 
encamped  on  that  side  to  carry  out  the  work  of 
destruction. 

A  feeling  of  grief  and  dismay  filled  the  city  at 
the  sight  of  the  devastation  that  was  being  wrought, 
and  there  were  very  many  among  the  multitude 
who  would  gladly  have  avoided  further  evils  by 
submitting  to  the  Romans ;  but  such  an  idea  did  not 
enter  the  heads  of  the  military  leaders,  and  Simon 
determined  upon  another  sortie.  A  number  of  the 
citizens  were  ordered  to  take  their  places  upon  the 


348  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

walls,  and  to  cry  out  to  the  Romans  that  they 
desired  peace,  and  to  implore  them  to  enter  the 
town  and  take  p6ssession. 

In  the  mean  time  a  number  of  Simon's  men  issued 
out  from  the  Women's  Gate  in  confusion  as  if 
expelled  by  the  peace  party.  They  appeared  to  be 
in  a  state  of  extreme  terror,  sometimes  advancing 
toward  the  Romans  as  if  to  submit  to  them,  at 
other  times  retreating  toward  the  wall  as  if  afraid 
of  putting  themselves  into  the  hands  of  the  Ro- 
mans, but  as  they  n eared  the  walls  they  were 
assailed  by  a  shower  of  missiles  from  above.  Titus 
suspected  that  a  trick  was  being  played,  and  ordered 
the  troops  to  stand  fast ;  but  the  battalion  facing 
the  gate,  seeing  it  stand  open,  'were  unable  to  resist 
the  impulse  to  rush  in  and  take  possession.  They 
therefore  advanced  through  the  crowd  of  Jews 
outside  until  close  to  the  gate ;  then  Simon's  men 
drew  out  their  concealed  weapons  and  fell  upon 
them  in  the  rear,  while  a  fresh  body  of  armed  men 
rushed  out  from  the  gate  and  attacked  them  in 
front,  while  from  the  two  flanking  towers  a  storm 
of  javelins,  arrows,  and  stones  was  poured  upon 
them. 

The  Romans  fought  desperately,  but  numbers  of 
them  were  slain,  and  the  rest  took  to  flight,  pursued 
by  the  Jews,  and  did  not  halt  until  they  reached 
the  tombs  of  Helen,  half  a  mile  from  the  walls, 
while  the  Jews  with  shouts  of  .triumph  reentered 
the  city. 

John  had  taken  no  part  in  this  sortie.     He  had 


FOE  THE  TEMPLE.  349 

lost  more  than  fifty  raen  in  the  fight  on  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  and  determined  to  hold  the  rest  in  re- 
serve until  they  were  needed  in  a  moment  of  ex- 
treme peril.  The  manner  in  which  the  bands  had 
held  together,  and  had  steadfastly  resisted  the 
Koman  attacks,  had  greatly  excited  the  admiration 
of  Simon. 

"  I  see  now,"  he  said  on  the  evening  of  the  sortie, 
when  talking  the  matter  over  with  John,  "  the 
secret  of  the  successes  you  have  gained  over  the 
Romans.  Your  men  fight  as  steadily  and  with  as 
much  discipline  as  they  do,  while  they  are  far 
quicker  in  their  movements.  They  unite  the 
activity  of  my  men  with  the  steadiness  of  the 
Romans.  I  wish  now  that  I  had  spent  the  last  year 
in  training  and  disciplining  my  raen  to  act  with 
equal  steadiness  and  order,  but  it  is  too  late  to  try 
to  do  so  now.  Each  will  do  his  best  and  will  die 
fighting ;  but  were  I  to  attempt  now  to  introduce 
regularity  among  them  they  would  lose  the  fierce 
rush  with  which  they  assault  the  Romans,  without 
acquiring  sufficient  discipline  to  enable  them  to 
keep  their  order  as  yours  do  in  the  confusion  of  the 
battle." 

''  Mine  are  all  picked  men,"  John  said.  "  I  had 
eight  thousand  under  my  orders  during  the  last  two 
years  of  fighting,  but  I  bade  all  leave  me,  when  I 
advanced  to  Jerusalem,  save  those  who  were  ready 
and  prepared  to  die  ;  therefore  I  can  rely  upon 
every  man  as  upon  mj^self.  Unless  I  see  some  ex- 
ceptional opportunity  I  do  not  think  I  shall  lead 


350  P'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

them  out  beyond  the  walls  again.  The  time  will 
come  as  the  siege  goes  on  when  you  will  need  a 
body  of  men  to  hold  a  breach  or  arrest  the  advance 
of  a  Roman  column,  men  who  will  die  rather  than 
give  way  a  foot.  When  that  time  comes  my  band 
shall  fill  the  gap." 

"  I  think  you  are  right,"  Simon  agreed.  "  Your 
men  are  too  good  to  be  wasted  in  desultory  fighting. 
They  shall  be  kept  as  a  last  resource,  and  I  know 
that  when  the  time  comes  they  can  be  relied  upon." 

The  clearing  of  the  ground  occupied  four  daj'^s, 
and  Titus  then  determined  to  advance  his  camp 
nearer  to  the  city,  and  fixed  upon  a  spot  which  was 
the  highest  on  the  plateau,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the 
northwest  of  the  Eubble  Tower.  Before  moving 
into  it  the  position  was  strongly  fortified,  and  so 
much  impressed  was  Titus  by  the  sallies  which  the 
Jews  had  made  that  he  formed  up  his  whole  army 
along  the  north  and  northwest  side  of  the  city. 
The  heavy-armed  troops,  three  deep,  were  the  first 
line  ;  behind  them  came  a  rank  of  archers,  and  be 
hind  these  the  cavalry  three  deep. 

Brave  as  were  the  Jews  they  did  not  venture  to 
sally  out  to  endeavor  to  break  through  this  living 
wall,  which  stood  all  day  immovable,  while  the  bag- 
gage animals,  aided  by  a  great  crowd  of  artisans 
and  camp-followers,  moved  the  war  engines,  re- 
serves, and  baggage  of  the  army  from  Mount 
Scopus  down  to  the  new  camp.  Here  the  Twelfth 
and  Fifteenth  Legions,  under  Titus  himself,  took  up 
their  position.     The  Fifth  Legion,  under  the  com- 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  35I 

mand  of  Cerealis,  formed  their  camp  on  a  "knoll  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  Jaffa  Gate,  and  divided 
from  it  by  the  Yalley  of  Hinnom,  which  is  here  of 
no  great  depth.  It  lay  about  a  third  of  a  mile 
south  of  the  camp  of  Titus.  The  Tenth  Legion  re- 
mained on  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Their  camp  had 
now  been  very  strongly  fortified,  and  was  in  a  posi- 
tion to  repel  any  attack  that  might  be  made 
against  it.  ! 

Now  that  his  dispositions  were  complete  Titus 
determined  to  save  the  city  if  possible  from  the 
horrors  of  siege.  He  therefore  sent  Nicanor  and 
Josephus  with  a  flag  of  truce  toward  the  walls  to 
offer  them  terms.  No  sooner  had  they  come  with- 
in bow-shot  than  an  arrow  was  discharged  from  the 
wall  and  struck  Nicanor  upon  the  shoulder.  The 
ambassadors  at  once  retired,  and  Titus,  indignant 
alike  at  the  insult  to  his  messengers  and  the  viola- 
tion of  the  flag  of  truce,  immediately  began  to 
make  preparations  for  the  siege.  Could  the  popu- 
lation of  the  city  have  been  consulted  they  would 
have  declared  by  an  immense  majority  of  voices  for 
surrender ;  but  Simon  and  John  of  Gischala,  whose 
men  held  the  walls,  were  a'bsolute  masters  of  the 
city,  and  the  inhabitants  were  to  pay  now,  as  they 
had  paid  in  the  past,  for  their  cowardice  in  allowing 
themselves  to  be  tyrannized  over  by  a  body  of  men 
whom  they  outnumbered  by  ten  to  one. 

Titus,  after  a  careful  examination  of  the  walls, 
determined  to  attack  at  a  spot  between  the  Jaffa 
^ate  and  Psephinus.     In  former  times  all  assaults 


352  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

of  the  enemy  had  been  directed  against  the  north, 
and  it  was  here,  consequently,  that  the  wall  was 
strongest.  At  its  foot,  too,  a  wide  and  deep  fosse 
had  been  cut  in  the  solid  rock,  rendering  it  impossi- 
ble for  the  assailants  to  advance  to  the  attack  until 
this  was  filled  up. 

But  on  the  northwest  the  walls  had  not  been 
made  equally  strong,  nor  had  the  fosse  been  con- 
tinued from  Psephinus  to  the  Jaffa  Gate.  It  had 
no  doubt  been  considered  that  the  projecting  angle 
of  the  wall  at  Psephinus  and  the  fortifications  of  the 
Palace  of  Herod  covered  this  portion  of  the  wall, 
which  was,  moreover,  to  some  extent  protected  by 
the  Valley  of  Hinnom.  But  between  the  top  of  the 
slope  of  that  valley  and  the  foot  of  the  walls  was  a 
level  space  of  ground  sufficiently  wide  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  machines  for  breaching  the  wall. 

Here,  therefore,  Titus  determined  to  make  his  at- 
tack. On  the  22d  of  April  the  troops  began  the 
work.  Each  legion  was  to  erect  a  bank,  mount  a 
battering-rara,  and  construct  a  tower.  A  vast  quan- 
tity of  timber  was  required,  and  the  desolation 
already  effected  between  the  north  wall  and  Scopus 
was  now  widely  extended,  the  whole  of  the  trees 
for  a  great  distance  round  Jerusalem  being  cut 
down  and  brought  to  the  spot.  The  towers  were 
constructed  about  ninety  feet  in  height  and  with  a 
wide  face.  They  were  put  together  beyond  the 
range  of  the  missiles  of  the  defenders,  and  were  to 
be  advanced  upon  wheels  up  the  bank  until  they 
n  eared  the  wall. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  353 

As  the  three  banks  approached  the  wall  hurdles 
covered  with  hides  were  erected  to  protect  the 
workers,  and  on  each  side  javelin  men  and  archers 
were  posted,  together  with  the  war  engines  for  cast- 
ing missiles,  Simon  was  not  idle.  He  possessed  the 
war  engines  taken  when  Antonia  was  surrendered 
by  the  Romans  and  those  captured  from  the  legion 
of  Cestius  but,  his  men  had  no  experience  in  the 
working  of  these  machines.  They  could  only  ma- 
nipulate them  slowly,  and  their  aim  was  bad.  They 
were  able,  therefore,  to  interfere  but  little  with  the 
work  of  the  Romans. 

The  archers  and  slingers,  however,  did  greater 
damage  and  killed  many,  while  at  times  the  gate 
would  be  thrown  open  and  Simon  would  dash  out  at 
the  head  of  his  men,  and  do  much  damage  before 
the  Romans  could  drive  him  back  within  the  walls. 
The  Tenth  Legion  did  more  injury  to  the  defenders 
than  did  the  others,  being  provided  with  more 
powerful  war  machines.  Their  ballistae  threw  stones 
weighing  a  hundredweight  a  distance  of  a  quarter 
of  a  mile.  The  Jewish  watchmen  on  the  walls  kept 
a  vigilant  watch  upon  these  machines,  and  each 
time  a  stone  was  coming  shouted  a  warning,  and  the 
defenders  threw  themselves  on  their  faces  until  the 
stone  passed  over.  Even  at  night  the  whiteness  of 
the  newly  cut  rock  rendered  the  masses  visible  as 
they  flew  through  the  air,  and  Titus  then  ordered 
the  stones  to  be  painted  black  before  they  were  dis- 
charged, and  thus  added  to  their  effect,  as  their  ap- 
proach could  be  no  longer  seen. 


364  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Night  and  day  the  Romans  toiled  at  the  work, 
night  and  day  the  Jews  with  missiles  and  sorties 
hindered  their  approach,  until  the  banks  had  ap- 
proached so  close  to  the  walls  that  the  battering- 
rams  would  be  within  striking  distance.  Then  the 
towers  were  brought  up  and  the  rams  began  to 
strike  their  mighty  blows  upon  the  wall,  while  from 
the  top  of  the  lofty  towers  and  from  the  stories 
below,  the  archers  and  war  machines  poured  a 
storm  of  missiles  down  upon  the  defenders  of  the 
walls. 

As  it  was  evident  now  that  the  danger  lay  solely 
in  this  quarter,  and  that  the  whole  strength  of  the 
besieged  was  needed  here,  Simon  sent  to  John  of 
Gischala  to  urge  that  the^  line  of  demarcation 
agreed  upon  by  them  between  their  respective 
troops  should  no  longer  be  observed.  John  would 
not  trust  himself  in  the  power  of  Simon,  but  gave 
leave  to  his  soldiers  to  go  down  and  aid  in  the  de- 
fense, and  they,  who  had  been  chafing  at  their 
forced  inactivity  while  Simon's  men  were  bearing 
the  brunt  of  the  fighting,  went  down  to  take  their 
share  in  the  struggle. 

Regardless  of  the  storm  of  missiles  the  Jews 
maintained  their  place  upon  the  walls,  shooting 
blazing  arrows  and  hurling  combustibles  down  upon 
the  Roman  works,  and  executing  such  frequent  and 
desperate  sorties  that  Titus  was  obliged  to  keep  the 
greater  part  of  his  force  constantly  under  arms,  and 
to  gather  round  the  towers  large  bodies  of  archers 
and  horsemen  to  repel  the  attacks.     At  length  a 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  355 

corner  tower  fell  before  one  of  the  battering-rams, 
but  the  wall  behind  stood  firm  and  no  breach  was 
effected.  Nevertheless  the  Jews  appeared  dis- 
pirited at  this  proof  of  the  power  of  the  battering- 
rams,  and  fell  back  into  the  city. 

The  Roman  legionaries,  under  the  belief  that  the 
fighting  was  over  for  the  evening,  were  drawn  back 
into  their  camps.  Suddenly,  from  a  small  gate 
hitherto  unnoticed  by  the  Romans,  situated  at  the 
foot  of  the  tower  of  Hippicus,  the  Jews  poured  out 
with  flaming  brands  in  their  hands,  and  dashed  at 
the  Roman  banks,  sweeping  the  defenders  of  the 
works  before  them,  swarming  up  the  banks  and 
surrounding  the  Towers,  to  which  they  endeavored 
to  set  fire.  They  were,  however,  plated  with  iron 
outside,  and  the  beams  inside  were  of  so  massive  a 
description  that  the  Jews  were  unable  to  set  light 
to  them. 

While  some  of  the  Jews  were  striving  to  do  this, 
the  rest  fell  with  such  fury  upon  the  Roman  troops 
who  hurried  up  to  the  protection  of  their  works 
that  they  were  driven  back.  A  body  of  Alexan- 
drian troops  only,  posted  near  the  towers,  main- 
tained themselves  against  the  attack  until  Titus 
with  his  cavalry  charged  down  upon  the  Jews,  who, 
although  a  match  for  the  Roman  infantry,  were 
never  throughout  the  war  able  to  resist  the  charges 
of  the  bodies  of  heavy  horsemen.  Titus  is  said  to 
have  killed  twelve  Jews  with  his  own  hand,  and, 
fighting  desperately  to  the  end,  the  assailants  were 
driven  back  into  the  city.     One  prisoner  only  was 


366  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

taken,  and  him  Titus,  with  the  barbarity  which 
afterward  distinguished  his  proceedings  during  the 
siege,  ordered  to  be  crucified  close  to  the  walls. 

Among  those  killed  on  the  Jewish  side  was  John, 
the  commander  of  the  Idumeans,  who  formed  part 
of  Simon's  force.  He  was  shot  by  an  Arab  while 
he  was  parleying  with  a  Roman  soldier.  He  was 
a  man  of  great  courage  and  excellent  judgment, 
and  his  loss  was  a  serious  one  for  the  besieged.  At 
night  all  was  still  and  silent ;  both  parties  were  ex- 
hausted with  their  long  and  desperate  struggle,  and 
even  the  machines  ceased  to  hurl  their  missiles. 
Suddenly  a  terrific  crash  was  heard,  and  the  very 
ground  seemed  to  shake.  Both  parties  sprang  to 
arms — the  Jews  fearing  that '  the  wall  had  fallen  ; 
the  Romans  not  knowing  what  had  happened,  but 
apprehensive  of  another  of  the  sorties,  which  they 
had  begun  to  hold  in  high  respect. 

Something  like  a  panic  seized  them  until  Titus, 
riding  about  among  them,  reassured  them  by  his 
presence  and  words.  They  knew,  indeed,  that  a 
repetition  of  the  defeats  they  had  suffered  at  the 
Jewish  hands  would  not  be  forgiven.  The  battalion 
which  had  been  defeated  at  the  sortie  at  the 
Women's  Gate  had  been  sternly  rebuked  by  Titus, 
who  had  ordered  the  military  law  to  be  carried  into 
effect,  and  a  certain  number  of  the  soldiers  to  be 
executed,  and  had  only  pardoned  them  upon  the  in- 
tercession of  the  whole  army  on  their  behalf. 
Therefore  the  legionaries  now  fell  Into  their  ranks 
at  the  order  of  Titus  and  drew  up  in  order  of  battle, 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  357 

while  parties  were  sent  forward  to  ascertain  what 
had  happened. 

It  was  found  that  a  serious  misfortune  had  be- 
fallen them.  The  Jews  in  their  attack  had  been 
unable  to  set  fire  to  the  towers,  but  they  h?d 
worked  so  vigorously  in  their  attempt  to  destroy 
the  bank  that  they  had  weakened  that  portion  of  it 
upon  which  one  of  the  towers  stood  ;  this  had  given 
way  beneath  the  tremendous  weight  resting  upon 
it,  and  the  great  tower  had  fallen  with  a  crash  to 
the  ground.  In  the  morning  the  combat  recom- 
menced, but  although  the  Jews  exposed  their  lives 
on  the  walls  unflinchingly,  they  were  unable  to 
withstand  the  terrible  shower  of  missiles  poured 
upon  them  from  the  remaining  towers,  or  to  inter- 
rupt the  steady  swing  of  the  huge  rams  which  day 
and  night  beat  against  the  walls. 

One  of  these  especially  did  material  damage,  and 
the  Jews  themselves  christened  it  "  Nico,"  or  the 
Conqueror.  At  length,  wearied  out  by  their  efforts, 
disheartened  by  the  failure  of  their  attempts  to  in- 
terfere with  the  work  of  destruction,  and  knowing 
that  the  inner  lines  were  vastly  stronger  than  those 
without,  the  Jews  abandoned  the  defense  of  the 
tottering  wall  and  retired  behind  their  next  line  of 
defense.  The  Romans  soon  discovered  that  they 
were  unopposed,  and  scaled  the  wall.  As  soon  as 
they  found  that  the  whole  space  between  it  and  the 
second  wall  was  abandoned  they  set  to  work  and 
threw  down  a  large  portion  of  the  third  wall,  and 
took  up  their  post  inside.     Titus  established  himself 


358  J^fi  THE  TEMPLE. 

at  the  spot  known  as  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians,  at 
the  foot  of  the  Tower  of  Psephinus. 

As  soon  as  his  arrangements  were  completed  he 
gave  orders  for  the  assault  to  be  recommenced. 
The  date  of  the  capture  of  the  outer  wall  was  on 
the  6th  of  May,  fifteen  days  after  the  commence- 
ment of  the  siege.  The  capture  of  Bezetha,  or  the 
New  Town,  enabled  the  Romans  to  make  an  attack 
directly  on  the  Palace  of  Herod  on  the  one  side  and 
Mount  Moriah  upon  the  other,  without  first  assault- 
ing the  second  wall,  which  defended  the  inner  lower 
town ;  but  two  or  three  days'  fighting  convinced 
Titus  that  these  positions  could  not  be  successfully 
attacked  until  the  lower  town  was  in  his  power. 

The  three  great  towers  Pbasaelus,  Hippicus,  and 
Mariamne,  desperately  defended  by  Simon's  sol- 
diers, formed  an  impregnable  obstacle  on  the  one 
side,  while  Antonia  and  the  steep  ascent  up  to  the 
Temple  platform  was  defended  with  equal  stubborn- 
ness and  success  by  the  soldiers  of  John  of  Gischala. 
Titus  therefore  prepared  for  the  assault  of  the 
second  wall.  The  point  selected  for  the  attack  was 
the  middle  tower  on  the  northern  face,  close  to 
which  were  the  wool  mart,  the  clothes  mart,  and  the 
braziers'  shops. 

There  were  no  natural  obstacles  to  the  approach, 
and  the  battering-ram  was  soon  placed  in  position, 
while  a  strong  body  of  archers  prevented  the 
defenders  showing  themselves  above  the  parapet. 
The  wall  was  of  far  less  strength  than  that  which 
the  Romans  had  before  encountered,  and  soon  began 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  359 

to  totter  before  the  blows  of  the  battering-ram. 
The  Jews,  indeed,  were  indifferent  as  to  its  fall,  for 
they  knew  that  the  possession  of  the  inner  town  was 
of  slight  importance  to  tbera,  and  that  its  fall  would 
not  greatly  facilitate  the  attack  upon  what  was  the 
natural  line  of  defense,  namely,  the  heights  of  Zion 
and  Moriah, 

For  a  short  time  the  Roman  advance  was  delayed 
by  th<^  proceedings  of  Castor,  the  Jewish  officer 
commanding  the  tower  which  they  had  assaulted. 
He_^  with  ten  men,  alone  had  remained  there  when 
th^  rest  of  the  defenders  had  retired,  and  he  got  up 
a  sham  battle  among  his  men,  the  Romans  suspend- 
ing operations  under  the  belief  that  a  party  of  the 
defenders  were  anxious  to  surrender.  Castor  himself 
pitood  on  the  parapet  and  offered  Titus  to  surrender. 
Titus  promised  him  his  life,  and  when  an  archer 
^standing  near  sent  an  arrow  which  pierced  Castor's 
nose  he  sternly  rebuked  him. 

He  then  asked  Josephus,  who  was  standing  be- 
side him,  to  go  forward  and  assure  Castor  and  his 
companions  that  their  lives  should  be  spared.  Jose- 
phus, however,  knew  the  way  of  his  countrymen 
too  well,  and  declined  to  endanger  his  life.  But 
upon  Castor  offering  to  throw  down  a  bag  of  gold, 
a  man  ran  forward  to  receive  it,  when  Castor  hurled 
a  great  stone  down  at  him,  and  Titus,  seeing  that 
he  was  being  fooled,  ordered  the  battering-ram  to 
recommence  its  work. 

Just  before  the  tower  fell  Castor  set  fire  to  it,  and 
leaped   with   his  companions,  as  the  Romans   sup- 


360  ^R  THE  TEMPLE. 

posed,  into  the  flames,  but  really  into  a  vault,  whence 
they  made  their  escape  into  the  city.  As  soon  as 
the  tower  fell  Titus  entered  the  breach  with  his 
body-guard  and  a  thousand  heavy-armed  troops. 
The  inhabitants,  almost  entirely  of  the  poorer  class, 
surrendered  willingly,  and  Titus  gave  orders  that 
none  save  those  found  with  arms  upon  them  should 
be  killed.  The  Romans  dispersed  through  the  nar- 
row and  winding  streets,  when  suddenly  Simon  and. 
his  men  poured  down  from  the  upper  city,  and  John 
at  the  head  of  his  band  issued  from  his  quarters. 

While  some  fell  upon  the  Romans  in  the  streets, 
others  entered  the  houses  and  rained  missiles  upon 
them  from  above ;  while  another  party,  issuing 
from  the  gate  by  Phasaelus,'  attacked  the  Romans 
between  the  second  and  third  walls  and  drove  them 
into  their  camp.  For  a  time  Titus  and  those  in  the 
lower  town  suffered  terribly  ;  but  at  last  Titus  post- 
ed archers  to  command  the  lanes  leading  toward 
the  breach,  and  managed,  but  with  considerable 
loss,  to  withdraw  his  troops  through  it. 

The  Jews  at  once  manned  the  wall,  and  formed 
in  close  order  behind  the  breach.  Titus  led  his 
heavy-armed  troops  against  it,  but  John  and  Simon 
defended  it  with  the  greatest  valor,  and  for  three 
days  and  nights  beat  back  the  continued  attacks  of 
the  Roman  soldiers ;  but  at  the  end  of  that  time 
they  were  utterly  exhausted,  while  the  Romans  in- 
cessantly brought  up  fresh  troops.  Even  Simon, 
who  had  fought  desperately  at  the  head  of  his  men, 
and   had  performed   prodigies  of  valor,  could   no 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  3G1 

longer  continue  the  struggle,  and  slowly  and  in  good 
order  the  defenders  of  the  breach  fell  back  to  the 
upper  city,  and  the  lower  town  remained  in  the 
possession  of  the  Romans. 

In  order  to  avoid  a  recurrence  of  the  disaster 
which  had  befallen  them,  Titus  ordered  a  considera- 
ble portion  of  the  second  wall  to  be  leveled,  so  that 
the  troops  could,  if  necessary,  pour  in  or  out  with- 
out difficulty.  But  Simon  had  no  thought  of  repeat- 
ing his  sortie.  A  large  number  of  his  best  men  had 
already  fallen,  and  he  determined  to  reserve  bis 
force  for  the  defense  of  the  almost  impregnable  po- 
sition of  the  upper  city.  Two  hundred  of  John's 
band  had  fallen  round  the  breach,  he  himself  had 
received  several  wounds,  and  the  fighting  strength 
of  his  band  was  now  but  one-half  of  what  it  was  at 
the  commencement  of  the  siege. 

He  had,  before  the  Romans  first  entered  the 
inner  tower,  had  the  remainder  of  his  store  of  grain 
removed  to  the  building  in  the  upper  town  which 
Simon  had  assigned  to  his  band.  It  had  as  yet  been 
but  little  trenched  upon,  as  Simon  had  ordered  that 
rations  similar  to  those  issued  to  his  own  men  from 
the  few  granaries  which  had  escaped  destruction 
should  be  given  to  John's  band. 

"  What  do  you  think  now  of  the  prospect  ?"  Simon 
asked  as  John  and  he  stood  together  on  the  Tower 
of  Phasaelus  on  the  day  after  the  Romans  had  taken 
possession  of  the  lower  town. 

"  I  think,  as  I  did  at  first,"  John  said,  "  that 
nothing  but  a  miracle  can  save  the  Temple." 


362  P'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  But  the  difficulties  that  the  Romans  have  over- 
come," Simon  said,  "are  as  nothing  to  those  still 
before  them." 

"  That  is  quite  true,"  John  agreed,  "  and  had  we 
but  a  good  supply  of  food  I  believe  that  we  might 
hold  out  for  months ;  but  the  grain  is  already  nearly 
exhausted,  and  cannof",  support  even  the  fighting 
men  much  longer,  while  the  inhabitants  are  dying 
from  hunger.  Well  and  strong,  we  plight  resist 
every  attack  that  the  Romans  can  make,  but  when 
we  can  no  longer  lift  our  swords  they  must  over- 
come us.  Still,  as  long  as  I  can  fight  I  am  ready  to 
do  so,  in  hopes  that  God  may  yet  have  mercy  upon 
us,  and  deliver  his  Temple." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE,  363 


CHAPTEE    XVI. 

THE   8TJBTEKKAJTEAN    PASSAGE. 

Foe  a  few  days  after  the  capture  of  the  lower 
<uty  the  Jews  had  a  respite.  Titus  knew  that 
famine  was  sapping  the  strength  of  the  defenders, 
and  that  every  day  weakened  their  power  of  resist- 
ance. He  saw^  that  the  assault  upon  their  strong 
position  would  be  attended  with  immense  diflBculty 
and  loss,  and  he  was  desirous  of  saving  the  city 
from  destruction.  He  ordered,  therefore,  a  grand 
review  of  the  troops  to  take  place,  and  for  four  days 
the  great  army  at  his  command — the  splendid 
cavalry,  the  solid  masses  of  the  Koman  infantry, 
and  the  light-armed  troops  and  cavalry  of  the 
allies — defiled  before  him.  The  Jews,  from  the 
height  of  the  city,  watched  with  a  feeling  of  dull 
despair  the  tremendous  power  assembled  against 
them,  and  felt  the  hopelessness  of  further  resist- 
ance. 

An  intense  desire  for  peace  reigned  throughout 
the  multitude,  but  John  of  Gischala  and  Simon  had 
no  thought  of  yielding.  They  believed  that  what- 
ever mercy  Titus  might  be  ready  to  grant  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town,  for  them   and   their  fol- 


364  P'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

lowers  there  was  no  hope  whatever  of  pardon,  and 
they  were  firmly  resolved  to  resist  until  the  last. 
Titus,  finding  that  no  oSfers  of  submission  came 
from  the  city,  sent  Josephus  to  parley  with  the 
defenders. 

He  could  not  have  made  a  worse  choice  of  an 
ambassador.  Divided  as  the  Jews  were  among 
themselves,  they  were  united  in  a  common  hatred 
for  the  man  whom  they  regarded  as  a  traitor  to  his 
country,  and  the  harangue  of  Josephus  to  the  effect 
that  resistance  was  unavailing  and  that  they  should 
submit  themselves  to  the  mercy  of  Titus  was 
drowned  by  the  execrations  from  the  walls.  In 
fact,  in  no  case  could  his  words  have  reached  any 
large  number  of  the  inhabitants,  for  he  had 
cautiously  placed  himself  out  of  bow-shot  of  the 
walls,  and  his  words  could  scarcely  have  reached 
those  for  whom  they  had  been  intended  even  if 
silence  had  been  observed.  His  mission,  therefore, 
was  altogether  unavailing. 

John  felt  his  own  resolution  terribly  shaken  by 
the  sights  which  he  beheld  in  the  city.  The  in- 
habitants moved  about  like  specters,  or  fell  and 
died  in  the  streets.  He  felt  now  that  resistance 
had  been  a  mistake,  and  that  it  Avould  have  been 
far  better  to  have  thrown  open  the  gates  when 
Titus  appeared  before  them,  in  which  case  the  great 
proportion  at  least  of  those  within  would  have  been 
spared,  and  the  Temple  and  the  city  itself  would 
have  escaped  destruction.  He  even  regretted  that 
he  had  marched  down  to  take  part  in  the  defense. 


Misery  in  Jkbtjsausm  DiHimG  tbce  Sikgk  by  Titus.— Page  364. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  365 

Had  he  known  how  entirely  exhausted  were  the 
granaries  he  would  not  have  done  so.  He  had 
thought  that  at  least  there  would  have  been  suf- 
ficient provisions  for  a  siege  of  some  months,  and 
that  the  patience  of  the  Eomans  might  have  been 
worn  out.  He  felt  now  that  the  sacrifice  had  been 
a  useless  one ;  but  although  he  himself  would  now 
have  raised  his  voice  in  favor  of  surrender,  he  was 
powerless.  Even  his  own  men  would  not  have 
listened  to  his  voice.  Originally  the  most  fervent 
and  ardent  spirits  of  his  band,  they  were  now  in- 
spired by  a  feeling  of  desperate  enthusiasm  equal 
to  that  which  animated  Simon  and  John  of  Gischala, 
and  his  authority  would  have  been  at  once  over- 
thrown had  he  ventured  to  raise  his  voice  in  favor 
of  surrender. 

Already  he  had  once  been  made  to  feel  that  there 
were  points  as  to  which  his  influence  failed  to  have 
any  effect  whatever.  He  had,  the  morning  after 
they  retired  to  the  upper  city,  spoken  to  his  men  on 
the  subject  of  their  store  of  grain.  He  had  urged 
on  them  the  horrors  which  were  taking  place  before 
their  eyes,  that  women  and  children  were  expiring 
in  thousands,  and  that  the  inhabitants  were  suffer- 
ing the  extreme  agonies  of  starvation,  and  had  con- 
cluded by  proposing  that  their  store  should  be 
distributed  among  the  starving  women.  His 
words  had  been  received  in  silence,  and  then  one  of 
the  captains  of  the  companies  had  risen. 

"What  you  say,  John,  of  the  sufferings  which  the 
people  are  undergoing  is  felt  by  us  all,  but  I,  for 


366  F'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

one,  cannot  agree  to  the  proposal  that  we  should 
^ive  up  our  store  of  food.  Owing  to  the  number  of 
us  that  have  fallen  there  are  still  well-nigh  fifty 
pounds  a  man  left,  which  will  keep  us  in  health  and 
strength  for  another  two  months.  Were  we  to  give 
it  out  it  would  not  suffice  for  a  single  meal  for  a 
quarter  of  the  people  assembled  here,  and  would 
delay  their  death  but  a  few  hours ;  thus  it  would 
profit  them  nothing,  while  it  will  enable  us  to 
maintain  our  strength,  and  maybe,  at  a  critical 
moment,  to  hurl  back  the  Romans  from  the  very 
gates  of  the  Temple. 

"  It  would  be  wickedness,  not  charitj^  to  part 
with  our  store.  It  would  defeat  the  object  for 
which  we  came  here,  and ,  for  which  we  are  ready 
to  die,  without  any  real  benefit  to  those  on  whom 
we  bestowed  the  food." 

A  general  chorus  of  approval  showed  that  the 
speaker  represented  the  opinion  of  his  comrades. 
After  a  pause  he  Avent  on  : 

"There  is  another  reason  why  we  should  keep 
what  w^e  ourselves  have  brought  in  here.  You  know 
how  the  soldiers  of  Simon  persecute  the  people,  how 
they  torture  them  to  discover  hidden  stores  of  food, 
how  they  break  in  and  rob  them  as  they  devour  in 
secret  the  provisions  they  have  concealed.  I  kno"' 
not  whether  hunger  could  drive  us  to  act  likewise, 
but  we  know  the  lengths  to  which  famished  men 
can  be  driven.  Therefore  I  would  that  we  should 
be  spared  the  necessity  for  such  cruelties  to  keep 
life  together.     We  are  all  ready  to  die,  but  let  it  be 


FOU  THE  TEMPLE.  367 

as  strong  men,  facing  the  enemy,  and  slaving  as 
we  fall." 

Again  the  murmur  of  approval  was  heard,  and 
John  felt  that  it  would  be  worse  than  useless  to 
urge  the  point.  He  admitted  to  himself  that  there 
was  reason  in  the  argument,  and  that  while  a  dis- 
tribution of  their  food  would  give  the  most  tem- 
porary relief  only  to  the  multitude,  it  would  impair 
the  efficiency  of  the  band.  The  result  showed  him 
that,  implicit  as  was  the  obedience  given  to  him  in 
all  military  matters,  his  influence  had  its  limits,  and 
that  beyond  a  certain  point  his  authority  ceased. 

Henceforth  he  remained  in  the  house,  except 
when  he  went  to  his  post  on  the  walls  immediately 
adjoining,  and  he  therefore  escaped  being  harrowed 
bv  the  sight  of  sufferings  that  he  could  not  relieve. 
Each  day,  however,  he  set  apart  the  half  of  his  own 
portion  of  grain  and  gave  it  to  the  first  starving 
woman  he  met  when  he  went  out. 

The  regulation  issue  of  rations  had  now  ceased, 
the  granaries  were  exhausted,  and  henceforth 
Simon's  troops  lived  entirely  upon  the  food  they 
extorted  from  the  inhabitants. 

John  of  Gischala's  followers  fared  better.  Enor- 
mous as  had  been  the  destruction  of  grain,  the 
stores  in  the  Temple  were  so  prodigious  that  they 
were  enabled  to  live  in  comparative  abundance,  and 
so  maintained  their  strength  and  fighting  power. 

But  the  sufferings  of  the  people  increased  daily, 
and  great  numbers  made  their  escape  from  the  city, 
either  sallying  out   from   unguarded   posterns  at 


368  FOR  THE  TEMPLE 

night,  or  letting  themselves  down  from  the  lower 
part  of  the  walls  by  ropes.  Titus  allowed  them  to 
pass  through,  but  John  of  Gischala  and  Simon,  with 
purposeless  cruelty,  placed  guards  on  all  the  walls 
and  gates  to  prevent  the  starving  people  leaving  the 
city,  although  their  true  policy  would  have  been  to 
facilitate  in  every  way  the  escape  of  all  save  the 
fighting  men,  and  thus  to  husband  what  provisions 
still  remained  for  the  use  of  the  defenders  of  the 
city. 

In  the  daytime,  when  the  gates  were  open, 
people  went  out  and  collected  vegetables  and  herbs 
from  the  gardens  between  the  walls  and  the  Roman 
posts,  but  on  their  return  were  pitilessly  robbed  by 
the  rough  soldiers,  who  confiscated  to  their  own  use 
all  that  was  brought  in.  The  efiForts  to  escape 
formed  a  fresh  pretext  to  Simon  and  John  of  Gis- 
chala to  plunder  the  wealthy  inhabitants,  who, 
under  the  charge  of  intending  to  fl}'^  to  the  Romans, 
were  despoiled  of  all  they  had,  tortured  and  ex- 
ecuted. Titus  soon  changed  his  policy,  and  instead 
of  allowing  the  deserters  to  make  their  way 
through,  seized  them  and  those  who  went  out  from 
the  city  to  seek  food,  scourged,  tortured,  and  cruci- 
fied them  before  the  walls.  Sometimes  as  many  as 
five  hundred  were  crucified  in  a  single  day.  This 
checked  the  desertion,  and  the  multitude,  deeming  it 
better  to  die  of  hunger  than  to  be  tortured  to  death 
by  the  Romans,  resigned  themselves  to  the  misery 
of  starvation. 

For  seventeen  days  the  Romans  labored  at  their 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  369 

embankments,  and  only  one  attack  was  made  upon 
the  walls.  This  was  carried  out  by  the  son  of  the 
King  of  Commagene,  who  had  just  joined  the  array 
with  a  chosen  band,  armed  and  attired  in  the 
Macedonian  fashion.  As  soon  as  he  arrived  he 
loudly  expressed  his  surprise  at  the  duration  of  the 
siege.  Titus,  hearing  this,  told  him  that  he  was  at 
perfect  liberty  to  assault  the  city  if  he  liked.  This 
he  and  his  men  at  once  did,  and  fought  with  great 
valor,  but  with  no  success  whatever,  a  great 
number  of  them  being  killed,  and  scarcely  one 
escaping  uninjured. 

For  a  fortnight  John  had  bestowed  the  half  of 
his  ration  upon  a  poor  woman  whose  child  was 
sick,  and  who  stood  at  the  door  of  her  house  every 
morning  to  wait  his  passing.  One  day  she  begged 
him  to  enter. 

"  I  shall  need  no  more  food,"  she  said  ;  "  thanks 
to  God,  who  sent  you  to  our  aid,  my  child  is  recov- 
ered and  can  now  walk,  and  I  intend  to  fly  to-night 
from  this  terrible  place." 

"But  there  is  no  escape,"  John  said;  "the  sol- 
diers allow  none  to  pass,  and  if  you  could  pass 
through  them  the  Eomans  would  slay  you." 

"  I  can  escape,"  the  woman  said ;  "  and  that  is 
why  I  have  called  you  in.  My  husband,  who  was 
killed  by  Simon's  robbers  three  months  ago,  was  for 
many  years  employed  in  working  in  the  under- 
ground passages  of  the  city,  and  in  repairing  the 
conduits  which  carry  the  water  from  the  springs 
As  I  often  carried  down  his  food  to  him  when  he 


370  I''OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

was  at  work,  I  know  every  winding  and  turn  of  the 
underground  ways. 

"  As  you  know,  the  ground  beneath  the  city  is 
honeycombed  by  passages  whence  stone  was  in  the 
old  time  obtained  for  buildings. 

"  There  are  many  houses  which  have  entrance  by 
pits  into  these  places.  This  is  one  of  them,  and  my 
husband  took  it  for  that  convenience.  From  here 
I  can  find  my  way  down  to  the  great  conduit  which 
was  built  by  King  Hezekiah  to  bring  the  water  from 
the  upper  springs  of  the  river  Gihon  down  into  the 
city.  Some  of  these  waters  supply  the  pool  known 
as  the  Dragon  Pool,  but  the  main  body  runs  down 
the  conduit  in  the  line  of  the  Tyropoe  on  Yalley,  and 
those  from  the  Temple  could  in  old  times  go  down 
and  draw  water  thence  should  the  pools  and  cistern 
fail.  But  that  entrance  has  long  been  blocked  up, 
for  when  the  Temple  was  destroyed  and  the  people 
carried  away  captives,  the  ruins  covered  the  en- 
trance and  none  knew  of  it. 

"  My  husband  when  at  work  once  found  a  passage 
which  ran  for  some  distance  by  the  side  of  some 
massive  masonry  of  old  time.  One  of  the  great 
stones  was  loose,  and  he  prized  it  out  to  see  what 
might  lie  behind  it ;  when  he  did  so  he  heard  the 
sound  of  running  water,  and  passing  through  the 
hole  found  himself  in  a  great  conduit.  This  he 
afterward  followed  up,  and  found  that  it  termi- 
nated at  the  upper  end  of  the  Yalley  of  Hinnom  in 
a  round  chamber,  at  the  bottom  of  which  springs 
bubbled  up. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  .  371 

"There  was  an  entrance  to  this  cha^iiber  from 
without  through  a  passage.  The  outer  exit  of  this 
was  well-nigh  filled  up  with  earth,  and  many  bushes 
grew  there,  so  that  none  passing  by  would  have  an 
idea  of  its  existence.  When  the  troubles  here  be- 
came great  he  took  me  and  slMpwed  me  the  conduit, 
and  led  me  to  the  exit,  saying  "^ at  the  time  might 
come  when  I  might  need  to  fly  from  Jerusalem. 
The  exit  lies  far  beyond  the  camps  that  the  Eomans 
have  planted  on  either  side  of  the  Yalley  of  Hin- 
nom  ;  and  by  going  out  at  night  I  and  my  child  can 
make  our  way  unseen  to  the  hills.  Since  you  have 
saved  our  lives  I  tell  you  of  this  secret,  which  is 
known,  I  think,  to  none  but  myself;  for,  after 
showing  me  the  place,  my  husband  closed  up  tiie 
entrance  to  the  passage,  which  was  before  well-nigh 
filled  up  with  stones. 

"It  may  be  that  the  time  may  come  when  you, 
too,  will  need  to  save  yourself  by  flight.  Now,  if 
y^ou  will  come  with  me  I  will  show  you  the  way. 
See,  I  have  mixed  here  a  pot  of  charcoal  and  water, 
with  which  we  can  mark  the  turnings  and  the  pas- 
sages, so  that  you  will  after\vard  be  able  to  find 
your  wa}'^,  for  without  such  aid  you  would  never  be 
able  to  follow  the  path  through  its  many  windings 
after  only  once  going  through  it." 

John  thanked  the  woman  warmly  for  her  offer, 
and  they  at  once  prepared  to  descend  into  the  pit. 
This  was  situated  in  a  cellar  beneath  the  house,  and 
was  boarded  over,  so  that  plunderers  entering  to 
search  for  provisions  would  not  discover  it.     Upon 


372  FOB  THE  TEMPLE, 

entering"  the  cellar  the  woman  lit  two  lamps. 
"  They  arc>  full  of  oil,"  she  said,  "  and  I  have  often 
been  sorely  tempted  to  drink  it ;  but  I  have  kept 
it  untouched,  knowing  that  my  life  might  some  day 
depend  upon  it." 

Rough  steps  were  wut  in  the  side  of  the  pit,  and 
after  descending  sooie  thirty  feet  John  found  him- 
self in  a  long  passage.  The  woman  led  the  way. 
As  they  went  on  John  was  surprised  at  the  number 
and  extent  of  these  passages,  which  crossed  each 
other  in  all  directions,  sometimes  opening  into  great 
chambers  from  which  large  quantities  of  stone  had 
been  taken,  while  he  passed  many  shafts,  like  that 
by  which  they  had  descended,  to  the  surface  above. 
The  woman  led  the  way  with  an  unfaltering  step, 
which  showed  how  thorough  was  her  acquaintance 
with  the  ground,  pausing  when  they  turned  down  a 
fresh  passage  to  make  a  smear  at  the  corner  of  the 
wall  with  the  black  liquid.  Presently  the  passage 
began  to  descend  rapidly. 

"We  are  now  under  the  Palace  of  King  Agrippa," 
she  said,  "  and  are  descending  by  the  side  of  the 
Tyropoeon  Yalley." 

Presently,  turning  down  a  small  side  passage, 
they  found  their  way  arrested  by  a  pile  of  stones 
and  rubbish.  They  clambered  up  this,  removed 
some  of  the  upper  stones,  and  crawled  along  under- 
neath the  roof.  The  rubbish  heap  soon  slanted 
down  again,  and  they  continued  their  way  as  before. 
Another  turn  and  they  were  in  a  wider  passage  than 
those  they  had  latterly  "traversed. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  873 

"  This  is  the  wall  of  the  conduit,"  the  woman  said, 
touching  the  massive  masonry  on  her  right  hand. 
"The  opening  is  a  little  further  on." 

Presently  they  arrived  at  a  great  stone  lying 
across  a  passage,  corresponding  in  size  to  a  gap  in 
the  wall  on  the  right.  They  made  their  way  through 
this  and  found  themselves  in  the  Conduit  of  King 
Hezekiah ;  a  stream  of  water  ankle-deep  was  run- 
ning through  it. 

"  We  need  not  go  further,"  the  woman  said  ; "  once 
here  you  cannot  miss  your  way.  It  will  take  nigh 
an  hour's  walking  through  the  water  before  you 
arrive  at  the  chamber  of  the  springs,  from  which 
there  is  but  the  one  exit." 

"  I  will  come  down  again  with  you  to-night," 
John  said, "  and  will  carry  your  child  to  the  entrance. 
You  will  both  need  all  your  strength  when  you 
sally  out,  so  as  to  get  well  beyond  the  Komans,  who 
are  scattered  all  over  the  country,  cutting  wood  for 
their  embankments.  Moreover,  I  shall  be  able  to 
see,  as  I  come  down  with  you,  whether  all  the 
marks  are  plainly  visible,  and  that  there  is  no  fear 
of  mistake,  for  once  lost  in  these  passages  one  would 
never  find  one's  way  again,  and  there  would  be  the 
choice  between  dying  of  hunger  and  of  being  found 
by  the  Romans,  who  will  assuredly  search  all  these 
passages  for  fugitives  as  they  did  at  Jotapata.  Truly 
I  thank  you  with  all  ray  heart;  I  feel  you  have 
given  me  the  means  of  saving  my  life ;  that  is,  if  I 
do  not  fall  in  the  fighting." 

As  they  made  their  way  back  to  the  house,  John 


374  P'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

examined  the  marks  at  every  turning,  and  added  to 
those  that  were  not  suificiently  conspicuous  to  catch. 
the  eye  at  once.  When  they  had  gained  the  cellar 
and  replaced  the  boards  the  woman  said  : 

"  Why  should  you  not  also  leave  the  city  to-night  ? 
All  say  that  there  is  no  hope  of  resistance,  and  that 
John  of  Gischala  and  Simon  are  only  bringing  de- 
struction upon  all  in  the  city  by  thus  holding  out 
against  the  Romans.  Why  should  you  throw  away 
your  life  so  uselessly  ?" 

''  I  have  come  here  to  defend  the  Temple,"  John 
said,  "  and  so  long .  as  the  Temple  stands  I  will 
resist  the  enemy.  It  may  be  it  is  useless  ;  but  no 
one  can  say  what  is  the  purpose  of  God,  or  whether 
he  does  not  yet  intend  to  s£tve  his  Holy  Seat ;  but 
when  the  Temple  has  fallen  I  shall  have  no  more  to 
fight  for,  and  will  then,  if  I  can,  save  my  life  for 
the  sake  of  those  who  love  me." 

That  evening  on  his  return  from  the  wall  John 
proceeded  to  the  house  of  the  woman.  She  was  in 
readiness  for  the  journey.  The  child,  who  was 
seven  or  eight  years  old,  was  dressed,  and  the  mother 
had  a  little  bundle  with  her  valuables  by  her.  As 
soon  as  they  descended  into  the  passage  below, 
John  offered  to  carry  the  child,  but  her  mother 
refused. 

"  She  can  walk  well,"  she  said,  "  for  a  time,  and 
you  could  not  carry  her  upon  your  shoulder,  for 
the  passages  are  in  many  places  but  just  high 
enough  for  you  to  pass  under  without  stoof)ing. 
At  any  rate,  she  can  walk  for  a  time." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  375 

It  was  not  long,  however,  before  the  child,  weak- 
ened by  its  illness,  began  to  drag  behind,  and  John 
swung  her  up  on  his  back.  The  marks,  he  found, 
were  easily  made  out,  and  in  half  an  hour  they 
arrived  at  the  entrance  to  the  conduit.  Here  they 
were  forced  to  walk  slowly  ;  in  some  places  the 
water,  owing  to  the  channel  having  sunk,  deepened 
to  the  knee,  at  other  times  stones  had  fallen  from 
the  roof  and  impeded  their  passage,  and  it  was 
nearly  two  hours  before  they  reached  the  arched 
chamber  at  the  termination  of  the  conduit.  There 
was  a  stone  pavement  round  the  edge  of  the  pool, 
and  upon  this  they  sat  down  to  rest  for  an  hour,  for 
both  John  and  the  woman  were  exhausted  by  the 
labor  they  had  undergone. 

"  It  is  time  for  me  to  be  moving,"  the  woman 
said,  rising  ;  "  it  must  be  nigh  midnight,  and  I  must 
be  some  miles  on  my  way  before  morning.  The 
child  has  walked  but  a  short  distance  yet,  and  will 
do  her  best  now  when  she  knows  that  those  wicked 
Komans  will  kill  her  and  her  mother  if  they  catch 
them.     Won't  you,  Mariamne  ?" 

The  child  nodded ;  the  Romans  were  the  bogy 
with  which  Jewish  children  had  for  the  last  five 
years  been  frightened,  and  she  announced  her 
intention  of  walking  till  her  feet  fell  off. 

"I  will  carry  you  as  much  as  I  can,"  her  mother 
said ;  "  but  it  can  only  be  for  a  short  distance  at  a 
time,  for  I,  too,  am  weak,  and  your  weight  is  too 
much  for  me.  And  now  God  bless  you,  my  friend," 
she  said,  turning  to  John  ;  "and   may  he  keep  you 


376  P'OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

safe  through  the  dangers  of  the  siege,  and  lead  you 
to  your  home  and  parents  again  !" 

They  made  their  way  to  the  end  of  the  passage 
together,  climbed  over  the  rubbish  which  nearly 
blocked  the  entrance,  crawled  through  the  hole,  and 
found  themselves  in  the  outer  air.  Thick  low 
bushes  covered  the  ground  around  them,  and  no 
sound  was  to  be  heard.  John  rose  to  his  feet  and 
looked  round.  Behind  hira,  at  the  distance  of  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  the  light  of  the  Roman 
watch-fires  showed  where  the  legions  were  en- 
camped. Beyond  and  above  could  be  seen  here 
and  there  a  light  in  the  city.  No  sound  was  to  be 
heard  save  the  occasional  call  of  a  Roman  sentinel. 
On  the  other  side  all  was  dark,  for  the  working 
parties  always  returned  to  camp  at  night  in  readi- 
ness to  repel  any  sortie  the  Jews  might  make  against 
the  camps  or  working  parties. 

"  It  is  a  very  dark  night,"  John  said  doubtfully. 
"  Do  you  think  you  can  find  your  way  ?" 

"  There  are  the  stars,"  the  woman  replied  confi- 
dently. "  Besides,  I  was  born  at  Bethlehem,  and 
know  the  country  well.  I  shall  keep  on  west  for  a 
while,  and  then  turn  off  into  the  deep  valleys  lead- 
ing down  toward  Masada.  God  be  with  you  !"  and, 
taking  the  child's  hand,  she  emerged  from  the  bushes 
and  glided  noiselessly  away  into  the  darkness.  John 
set  out  on  his  return  journey,  which  he  found  very 
much  shorter  than  he  had  done  coming,  for  the 
weight  of  a  child  for  two  hours  when  walking  over 
diflBcult  ground  is  trying  even  to  a  strong  and  act- 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  377 

ive  man.  He  carefully  replaced  the  boards  across 
the  mouth  of  the  pit,  placed  the  lamps  in  a  position 
so  that  he  could  find  them  in  the  dark,  and,  upon 
going  out  of  the  house,  closed  the  door  carefully. 

The  next  morning,  that  of  the  29th  of  May,  the 
Koman  attack  began.  The  Fifth  and  Twelfth  Le- 
gions had  raised  embankments  near  the  Struthion  or 
Soapwort  Pool,  facing  the  Castle  of  Antonia,  while 
the  Tenth  and  Fifteenth  raised  theirs  facing  the 
great  towers  of  Ilippicus,  Phasaelus,  and  Mariamne. 
They  had  not  carried  out  their  work  unmolested, 
for  the  Jews  had  now  learned  the  art  of  construct- 
ing and  managing  war  machines,  and  had  made 
three  hundred  scorpions  for  throwing  arrows  and 
forty  ballistae  for  hurling  stones,  and  with  these 
they  had  caused  terrible  annoyance  and  great  loss 
to  the  Romans.  But  now  all  was  prepared.  On 
the  evening  of  the  28th  the  last  stroke  had  been 
given  to  the  embankment,  and  on  the  following 
morning  the  engines  were  mounted,  and  the  troops 
stood  in  readiness  for  the  attack. 

Suddenly  a  smoke  was  seen  stealing  up  round  the 
embankments  facing  Antonia,  and  the  Roman  offi- 
cers called  back  their  men,  not  knowing  what  was 
going  to  occur.  Then  a  series  of  mighty  crashes 
was  heard ;  the  great  embankments,  with  their  en- 
gines and  battering-rams,  tottered  and  fell ;  dense 
smoke  shot  up  in  columns,  followed  rapidly  by 
tongues  of  fire,  and  soon  the  vast  piles  of  materials, 
collected  and  put  together  with  so  much  pains,  were 
blazing  fiercely  ;  while  the  Jews  laughed  and  shout- 
ed in  triumph  upon  the  walls. 


3:8  FOE  THE  TEMPLE. 

The  moment  John  of  Gischala  perceived  where 
the  Romans  were  going  to  construct  their  embank- 
ments he  had  begun  to  run  a  mine  from  behind  the 
wall  toward  them.  When  the  gallery  was  extended 
under  them  a  great  excavation  was  hollowed  out,, 
the  roof  being  supported  by  huge  beams,  between 
which  were  piled  up  pitch  and  other  combustibles.. 
When  the  Romans  were  seen  advancing  to  the  at- 
tack fire  was  applied,  and  as  soon  as  the  supports  of 
the  roof  were  burned  away,  the  ground,  with  the 
embankments  upon  it,  fell  in. 

Simon,  on  his  side,  AA^as  equally  ready  to  receive 
the  enemy,  but  he  trusted  rather  to  valor  than  strat- 
agem ;  and  as  soon  as  the  Roman  engines  facing 
the  towers  began  to  shake  the' walls,  Tepthaus,  Me- 
gassar,  and  Chagiras  rushed  out  with  torches  in 
their  hands,  followed  by  a  crowd  of  Simon's  soldiers. 
They  drove  the  Romans  before  them,  and  set  fire 
to  the  great  machine.  The  Romans  crowded  up  to 
the  assistance  of  the  working  parties,  but  as  they 
advanced  they  were  received  with  showers  of  mis- 
siles from  the  walls,  and  attacked  fiercely  by  the 
Jews,  who  poured  out  from  the  city  in  a  continuous 
stream. 

The  flames  spread  rapidly,  and  seeing  no  hope  of 
saving  their  engines  and  embankments,  the  Romans 
retreated  to  their  camp.  The  triumphant  Jews 
pressed  hard  on  their  rear,  rushed  upon  the  intrench- 
ments,  and  assailed  the  guards.  Numbers  of  these 
were  killed,  but  the  rest  fought  resolutely,  while  the 
engines  on  the  works   poured  showers  of  missiles 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  379 

among  the  Jews.  Careless  of  death,  the  assailants 
pressed  forward,  stormed  the  intrenchment,  and  the 
Romans  were  on  the  point  of  flight,  when  Titus, 
who  had  been  absent  upon  the  other  side,  arrived 
with  a  strong  body  of  troops,  and  fell  upon  the 
Jews. 

A  desperate  contest  ensued,  but  the  Jews  were 
finally  driven  back  into  the  city.  Their  enterprise 
had,  however,  been  crowned  with  complete  suc- 
cess. The  embankments,  which  had  occupied  the 
Romans  seventeen  days  in  building,  were  destroyed, 
and  with  them  the  battering-rams  and  the  greater 
part  of  their  engines.  The  work  of  reconstruction 
would  be  far  more  difficult  and  toilsome  than  at 
first,  for  the  countr}^  had  been  denuded  of  timber 
for  many  miles  off.  Moreover,  the  soldiers  were 
becoming  greatly  disheartened  by  the  failure  of  all 
their  attacks  upon  the  city. 

Titus  summoned  a  council,  and  laid  before  them 
three  plans  :  one  for  an  attempt  to  take  the  city  by 
storm  ;  the  second  to  repair  the  works  and  rebuild 
the  engines  ;  the  third  to  blockade  the  city  and 
starve  it  into  surrender.  The  last  was  decided 
upon,  and  as  a  first  step  the  whole  army  was  set  to 
work  to  build  a  trench  and  wall  round  the  city. 
The  work  was  carried  on  with  the  greatest  zeal,  and 
in  three  days  the  wall,  nearly  five  miles  in  circum- 
ference, was  completed.  Thus  there  was  no  longer 
any  chance  of  escape  to  the  inhabitants,  no  more 
possibility  of  going  out  at  night  to  search  for  food. 

Now   the   misery  of  the   siege   was    redoubled. 


380  F'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Thousands  died  daily,  A  mournful  silence  hung: 
over  the  city.  Some  died  in  their  houses,  some  in 
the  streets,  some  crawled  to  the  cemeteries  and  ex- 
pired there,  some  sat  upon  their  house-tops  with 
their  eyes  fixed  upon  the  Temple  until  they  sank 
back  dead.  Ko  one  had  strength  to  dig  graves, 
and  the  dead  bodies  were  thrown  from  the  walls 
into  the  ravines  below.  The  high-priest  Matthias, 
who  had  admitted  Simon  and  his  followers  into  the 
city,  was  suspected  of  being  in  communication  with 
the  Romans,  and  he  and  his  three  sons  were  led  out 
on  to  the  wall,  and  executed  in  sight  of  the  besieg- 
ers, while  fifteen  of  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim 
were  executed  at  the  same  time. 

These  murders  caused  indrgnation  even  on  the 
part  of  some  of  Simon's  men,  and  one  Judas,  with 
ten  others,  agreed  to  deliver  one  of  the  towers  to 
the  enemy,  but  the  Romans,  rendered  cautious  by 
the  treachery  which  had  before  been  practiced,  hes- 
itated to  approach  ;  and  before  they  were  convinced 
that  the  offer  was  made  in  good  faith  Simon  dis- 
covered what  was  going  on,  and  the  eleven  con- 
spirators were  executed  upon  the  walls,  and  their 
bodies  thrown  over. 

Despair  drove  many  again  to  attempt  desertion. 
Some  of  these,  on  reaching  the  Roman  lines,  were 
spared,  but  many  more  were  killed,  for  the  sake  of 
the  money  supposed  to  be  concealed  upon  them. 
Up  to  the  1st  of  July  it  was  calculated  that  well- 
nigh  six  hundred  thousand  had  perished,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  vast  numbers  buried  in  the  cemetery  and 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  381 

the  great  heaps  of  dead  before  the  walls.  Great 
numbers  of  the  houses  had  become  tombs,  the  in- 
habitants shutting  themselves  up  and  dying  quietly 
together. 

But  while  trusting  chiefly  to  famine,  the  Romans 
had  labored  steadily  on  at  their  military  engines, 
although  obliged  to  fetch  the  timber  for  ten  miles, 
and  at  the  beginning  of  July  the  battering-rams 
began  to  play  against  Antonia.  The  Jews  sallied 
out,  but  this  time  with  less  fury  than  usual,  and 
they  were  repulsed  without  much  difficulty  by  the 
Romans.  All  day  long  the  battering-rams  thun- 
dered against  the  wall,  while  men,  protected  by 
hurdles  and  penthouses,  labored  to  dislodge  the 
stones  at  the  foot  of  the  walls,  in  spite  of  the  storm 
of  missiles  hurled  down  from  above. 

By  nightfall  they  had  got  out  four  large  stones. 
It  happened  that  these  stones  stood  just  over  the 
part  under  which  John  of  Gischala  had  driven  his 
mine  when  he  destroyed  the  Roman  embankments, 
and  thus,  doubly  weakened,  the  wall  fell  with  a 
crash  during  the  night.  John,  however,  had  built 
another  wall  in  the  rear ;  and  when  the  Romans 
rushed  to  the  assault  of  the  breach  in  the  morning 
they  found  a  new  line  of  defense  confronting  them. 
Titus  addressed  the  troops,  and  called  for  volunteers. 
Sabinus,  a  Syrian,  volunteered  for  the  attack  and 
eleven  men  followed  him. 

In  spite  of  the  storm  of  missiles  he  reached  the 
top  of  the  wall.  The  Jews,  believing  that  many 
were  behind  him,  turned  to  fly,  but  his  foot  slipped, 


382  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

and  he  fell,  and  before  he  could  regain  his  feet  the 
Jews  turned  round  upon  him  and  slew  him.  Three 
of  his  companions  fell  beside  him  on  the  top  of  the 
wall,  and  the  rest  were  carried  back  wounded  to 
camp. 

Two  days  later,  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  twenty 
Roman  soldiers,  with  a  standard-bearer  and  trum- 
peter, crept  silently  up  to  the  breach,  surprised  and 
slew  the  watch.  The  trumpeter  blew  the  charge, 
and  the  Jews,  believing  that  the  whole  Roman  array 
was  upon  them,  fled  in  a  sudden  panic.  Titus  at 
once  advanced  with  his  men,  stormed  the  new  wall, 
entered  the  Castle  of  Antonia,  and  then  advanced 
along  the  cloisters  which  connected  it  with  the 
Temple ;  but  John  of  Gischala  had  by  this  time 
arrived  at  the  spot  and  opposed  a  desperate  resist- 
ance to  the  assault,  until  Simon,  crossing  from  the 
upper  city  by  the  bridge,  came  to  his  assistance, 
and  John,  finding  that  the  Temple  was  attacked, 
also  led  his  band  across. 

For  ten  hours  the  struggle  raged.  Yast  numbers 
fell  on  both  sides,  till  the  dead  formed  a  bank  be- 
tween the  combatants.  Titus,  finding  that  even  the 
courage  and  discipline  of  his  troops  did  not  avail 
against  the  desperate  resistance  of  the  Jews,  at  last 
called  them  off  from  the  assault,  well  satisfied  with 
having  captured  Antonia.  During  the  fight  the 
Romans  had  several  times  nearlj'^  penetrated  into 
the  Temple.  Indeed,  a  centurion,  named  Julian,  a 
man  of  great  strength,  courage,  and  skill  at  arms, 
had  charged  the  Jews  with  such  fury  that  he  had 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  363 

made  his  way  alone  as  far  as  the  inner  court,  when 
his  mailed  shoes  slipped  on  the  marble  pavement, 
and  he  fell,  and  the  Jews,  rushing  back,  slew  him, 
after  a  desperate  resistance  to  the  end. 

Titus  commanded  that  the  fortress  of  Antonia 
should  be  leveled  to  the  ground,  and  then  sent 
Josephus  with  a  message  to  John  of  Gischala,  offer- 
ing him  free  egress  for  himself  and  his  men  if  he 
would  come  out  to  fight  outside,  in  order  that  the 
Temple  might  be  saved  further  defilement.  John 
replied  by  curses  upon  Josephus,  whom  he  de- 
nounced as  a  traitor,  and  concluded  that  he  feared 
not  that  the  city  should  be  taken,  for  it  was  the 
city  of  God.  Then  Titus  sent  for  a  number  of  per- 
sons of  distinction,  who  had  from  time  to  time  made 
their  escape  from  the  city,  and  these  attempted  in 
vain  to  persuade  the  people,  if  not  to  surrender,  at 
least  to  spare  the  Temple  from  defilement  and  ruin. 
Even  the  Roman  soldiers  were  adverse  to  an  attack 
upon  a  place  so  long  regarded  as  preeminently  holy, 
and  Titus  himself  harangued  the  Jews. 

"  You  have  put  up  a  barrier,"  he  said,  "  to  prevent 
strangers  from  polluting  your  Temple.  This  the 
Romans  have  always  respected.  "We  have  allowed 
you  to  put  to  death  all  who  violated  its  precincts, 
yet  you  defile  it  yourselves  with  blood  and  carnage. 
I  call  on  your  gods — I  call  on  my  whole  army — I 
call  upon  the  Jews  who  are  with  me — I  call  on  your- 
selves— to  witness  that  I  do  not  force  you  to  this 
crime.  Come  forth  and  fight  in  any  other  place, 
and  no  Roman  shall  violet  your  sacred  edifice." 


384  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

But  John  of  Gischala  and  the  Zealots  would  hear 
of  no  surrender.  They  doubted  whether  Titus 
would  keep  his  promise,  and  feared  to  surrender  the 
stronghold  which  was  now  their  last  hope.  Above 
all,  they  still  believed  that  God  would  yet  interfere 
to  save  his  Temple.  Titus,  finding  that  the  garrison 
were  obstinate,  raised  his  voice  and  called  out : 

"John,  whom  I  met  near  Hebron,  if  you  be  there 
bear  witness  that  I  have  striven  to  keep  my  oath. 
I  will  strive  to  the  end  ;  but  blame  me  not  if,  not 
through  my  fault,  but  by  the  obstinacy  of  these  men, 
destruction  comes  upon  the  Temple." 

John,  who  was  standing  within  hearing,  called 
out: 

"  I  am  here,  Titus,  and  I  bear  witness,  yet,  I  pray 
you,  strive  to  the  end  to  keep  the  oath  which  you 
swore  to  me." 

"What  is  this  oath,  John?"  Simon,  who  was 
standing  close  by,  asked.  "  What  compact  have 
you  with  the  Roman  general  ?" 

"  We  met  in  battle  alone,"  John  said  quietly, 
"  and  it  chanced  that  he  fell.  I  might  have  slain 
him,  but  it  came  to  me  that  it  were  better  to  try  to 
save  the  Temple  than  to  slay  one  of  its  enemies,  and 
therefore  swore  him  to  save  the  Temple  if  it  lay  in 
his  power.  He  has  offered  to  spare  it.  It  lay  with 
you  and  John  of  Gischala  to  save  the  Temple  from 
destruction  by  accepting  his  terms.  You  have  not 
done  so.  If  the  Temple  is  destroyed  it  is  by  the 
obstinacy  of  its  defenders,  not  by  the  cruelty  of  the 
Romans." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  385 

"  It  would  be  madness  to  accept  his  offer,"  Simon 
said  angrily.  "  Titus  knows  well  that  in  the  plains 
we  should  be  no  match  for  his  troops.  Did  you 
ever  hear  before  of  a  garrison  giving  up  a  position 
BO  strong  that  it  could  not  be  taken  from  them,  and 
going  out  to  fight  beyond  the  walls  ?  Besides,  who 
can  tell  that  the  Eomans  will  keep  their  promises? 
Once  we  are  at  their  mercy  they  might  level  the 
Temple." 

"In  that  case  the  sin  would  be  upon  their  heads. 
Besides,  there  is  no  occasion  to  retire  beyond  the 
walls.  Why  should  not  all  the  fighting  men  retire 
into  the  upper  city,  and  leave  the  Temple  to  God  ? 
If  it  is  his  will  that  the  Romans  should  destroy  it, 
they  will  do  so.  If  it  is  his  will  that  they  should 
respect  it,  they  will  do  so.  He  can  save  or  destroy 
at  his  will.  If  we  retreat  to  the  upper  town  and 
break  down  the  bridge  after  us,  they  could  never 
take  it." 

"  And  how  long  could  we  hold  out  ?"  Simon  said 
with  a  hard  laugh.  "  Is  there  a  day's  food  left  in 
the  city  ?  If  there  is  my  men  are  less  sharp  than  I 
give  them  credit  for.  No,  we  will  fight  here  to  the 
end  for  the  Temple,  and  the  sooner  the  Romans 
attack  the  better,  for  if  they  delay  many  days  there 
is  not  a  single  man  will  have  strength  enough  to 
lift  a  sword." 


386  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 


CHAPTEE  XYII. 

THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  TEMPLE. 

Although  abhorring  the  general  conduct  of 
Simon  and  John  of  Gischala,  and  believing  that 
conditions  could  be  made  with  the  Romans  which 
would  save  the  Temple,  John  still  retained  the  hope 
cherished  by  every  Jew  that  God  would  yet  him- 
self save  Jerusalem,  as  in  the  old  times.  He  was 
conscious  that  the  people  had  forfeited  all  right  to 
expect  his  aid  ;  that  by  their  wickedness  and  forget- 
fulness  of  him,  and  more  especially  by  the  frightful 
scenes  which  had  desecrated  the  city  and  Temple 
during  the  last  four  years,  they  must  have  angered 
God  beyond  all  hope  of  forgiveness.  Still  the  pun- 
ishment which  had  been  inflicted  was  already  so 
terrible  that  he,  like  others,  hoped  that  God's  anger 
might  yet  relent,  as  it  had  done  in  old  times,  and 
that  a  remnant  might  yet  be  spared. 

But  above  all,  their  hope  lay  in  the  belief  that 
the  Temple  was  the  actual  abode  of  the  Lord,  and 
that  though  he  might  suffer  the  whole  people  to 
perish  for  their  sins,  he  would  yet  protect  at  the 
last  his  own  sanctuary.  Surely,  John  thought  as 
he  stood  on  the  roof  of  the  Temple,  this  glorious 
building  can  never  be  meant  to  be  destroyed. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  387 

The  Temple  occupied  a  square  six  hundred  feet 
every  way.  The  lofty  rock  on  which  it  stood  had 
been  cased  with  solid  masonry,  so  that  it  rose  per- 
pendicularly from  the  plain.  On  the  top  of  this 
massive  foundation  was  built  a  strong  and  lofty 
wall  round  the  whole  area.  Within  this  wall  was  a 
spacious  double  cloister,  fifty-two  and  one-half  feet 
broad,  supported  by  one  hundred  and  sixty-two 
columns.  On  the  south  side  the  cloister  was  one 
hundred  and  five  feet  wide,  being  a  triple  cloister, 
and  was  here  called  the  King's  Cloister.  Within 
the  area  surrounded  by  the  cloisters  was  an  open 
court  paved  with  marble ;  this  was  the  Court  of 
the  Gentiles,  and  was  separated  from  the  second 
court,  that  of  the  Jews,  by  a  stone  railing  five  feet 
high. 

An  ascent  of  fourteen  steps  led  to  a  terrace  sev- 
enteen and  one-half  feet  wide,  beyond  which  rose 
the  wall  of  the  inner  court ;  this  wall  was  seventy 
feet  high  on  the  outside,  forty -four  feet  on  the  inside. 
Kound  the  inner  court  was  another  range  of  clois- 
ters. There  were  ten  gates  into  the  inner  court. 
The  doors  of  nine  of  these  gateways  were  fifty-two 
and  one-half  feet  high,  and  half  that  breadth  ;  the 
gateways  rose  to  the  height  of  seventy  feet. 
The  tenth,  usually  called  the  Beautiful  Gate  of  the 
Temple,  was  larger  than  the  rest,  the  gateway  being 
eighty-seven  and  one-half  feet  in  height,  the  doors 
seventy  feet. 

In  the  center  of  the  inner  court  was  the  Temple 
itself.      The   great   porch    was   one   hundred    and 


388  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

seventy-five  feet  in  width,  the  gateway  tower  one 
hundred  and  thirty-two  feet  high  and  forty-three 
feet  wide,  and  through  it  was  seen  the  Beautiful 
Gate.  The  Temple  itself  was  built  of  white 
marble,  and  the  roof  was  covered  with  sharp 
golden  spikes. 

Now  that  it  was  evident  that  on  the  side  of  the 
Temple  alone  could  the  enemy  make  an  attack,  the 
division  between  Simon  and  John  of  Gischala'smen 
was  no  longer  kept  up.  All  gathered  for  the  de- 
fense of  the  Temple.  The  Jews  kept  up  a  vigilant 
watch,  for  the  Romans  could  assemble  in  great 
force  in  Antonia  unseen  by  them,  and  could  advance 
under  cover  by  the  cloisters  which  flanked  the 
platform  connecting  Antonia  with  the  Temple  on 
either  side.  The  interval  between  Antonia  and  the 
Temple  was  but  three  hundred  feet.  The  cloisters 
were  considered  to  form  part  of  the  Temple,  and 
the  Jews  were  therefore  reluctant  to  destroy  them, 
although  they  greatly  facilitated  the  attack  of  the 
Romans. 

Finding  that  his  offers  were  all  rejected,  Titus 
spent  seven  days  in  the  destruction  of  a  large 
portion  of  Antonia,  and  then  prepared  for  a  night 
attack.  As  the  whole  army  could  not  make  the 
assault,  thirty  men  were  picked  from  each  hundred. 
Tribunes  were  appointed  over  each  thousand, 
Cerealis  being  chosen  to  command  the  \^hole. 
Titus  himself  mounted  a  watch-tower  in  Antonia  in 
order  that  he  might  see  and  reward  each  act  of 
bravery.     The  assault  began  between  two  and  three 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  389 

o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  Jews  were  on  the 
watch,  and  as  soon  as  the  massive  columns  moved 
forward  the  cries  of  the  guards  gave  the  alarm,  and 
the  Jews  sleeping  in  and  around  the  Temple  seized 
their  arms  and  rushed  down  to  the  defense. 

For  a  time  the  Eomans  had  the  advantage ;  the 
\veight  of  their  close  formation  enabled  them  to 
press  forward  against  the  most  obstinate  resistance, 
and  even  in  the  darkness  there  was  no  fear  of  mis- 
taking friend  for  foe ;  while  the  Jews,  fighting  in 
small  parties,  often  mistook  each  other  for  enemies, 
and  as  many  fell  by  the  swords  of  their  friends  as 
by  those  of  the  enemy.  The  loss  was  all  the 
greater  since  the  troops  of  John  of  Gischala  and 
Simon  had  no  common  password,  and,  coming 
suddenly  upon  each  other,  often  fought  desperately 
before  they  discovered  their  mistake ;  but  as  day- 
light began  to  break  these  mistakes  became  less 
frequent.  The  presence  and  example  of  their  lead- 
ers animated  the  Jews  to  the  greatest  exertions; 
while  the  knowledge  that  Titus  was  watching  them 
inspired  the  Romans  with  even  more  than  their 
usual  courage  and  obstinacy. 

For  nine  hours  the  conflict  raged,  and  then  the 
Romans,  unable  to  make  the  slightest  impression 
upon  the  resistance  of  the  Jews,  fell  back  again  into 
Antonia.  Finding  that  in  hand-to-hand  conflict  his 
soldiers  could  not  overcome  the  Jews,  Titus  ordered 
the  erection  of  small  embankments,  two  on  the  plat- 
form between  the  cloisters,  the  other  two  outside 
the  cloister  walls.     But  the  work  proceeded  slowly 


390  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

owing  to  the  difficulty  of  procuring  wood.  The 
Jews  as  usual  hindered  the  work  as  much  as  pos- 
sible with  showers  of  missiles,  and  attempted  to 
create  a  diversion  by  a  sortie  and  attack  upon  the 
camp  of  the  Tenth  Legion  on  the  Mount  of  Olives. 
This,  however,  was  repulsed  by  the  Romans  with- 
out great  difficulty. 

As  the  cloisters  leading  to  Antonia  afforded  great 
assistance  to  the  Romans  in  their  attacks  the  Jews 
set  fire  to  the  end  of  the  cloisters  touching  the 
Temple  wall,  and  a  length  of  from  twenty  to  thirty 
feet  of  each  cloister  was  destroyed.  The  Romans 
destroyed  a  further  portion,  so  as  to  afford  more 
room  for  the  men  at  Work  upon  the  embankments. 
The  action  of  the  Jews  was  to  a  certain  extent  a 
necessity,  but  it  depressed  the  spirits  of  the  inhab- 
itants, for  there  was  a  prophecy,  "  When  square  the 
walls,  the  Temple  falls !"  Hitherto  Antonia  and  the 
connecting  cloisters  had  been  considered  as  forming 
part  of  the  Temple  and  had  given  it  an  irregular 
form,  but  the  destruction  of  these  cloisters  left  the 
Temple  standing  a  massive  square. 

The  embankments  presently  rose  above  the 
height  of  the  wall,  and  it  was  evident  that  this 
would  soon  be  taken.  The  Jews  retired  from  the 
roof  of  the  cloister  facing  the  embankment  as  if 
despairing  of  further  resistance,  but  they  had  pre- 
viously stored  great  quantities  of  combustibles  in  the 
space  between  the  cedar  roof  of  the  cloisters  and 
the  upper  platform.  The  Romans  on  the  embank- 
ment,  seeing   that  the  Jews   had  retired,  without 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  391 

waiting  for  orders  ran  down,  and  planting  ladders 
scaled  the  wall. 

The  Jews  set  up  cries  as  if  of  despair,  and  the 
Romans  poured  up  on  to  the  wall  until  a  great  mass 
of  men  were  collected  on  the  roof  of  the  cloister  ; 
then  on  a  sudden  flames  shot  up  in  all  directions  be- 
neath their  feet,  and  they  found  themselves  envel- 
oped in  a  sea  of  fire.  Many  were  burned  or 
smothered  by  the  smoke,  some  stabbed  themselves 
with  their  swords,  some  leaped  down  into  the  outer 
court  and  were  there  killed  by  the  Jews,  many 
jumped  down  outside  the  walls  and  were  picked  up 
dead  or  with  broken  limbs,  others  ran  along  upon 
the  top  of  the  walls  until  the}'^  were  shot  down  by 
the  Jewish  missiles.  But  one  man  seems  to  have 
escaped.  A  soldier  named  Artorius,  standing  on 
the  wall,  shouted  to  the  Romans  below,  "  Whoever 
catches  me  shall  be  my  heir."  A  soldier  ran  for- 
ward to  accept  the  terms.  Artorius  jumped  down 
upon  him,  killing  him  by  his  fall,  but  himself  escap- 
ing unhurt. 

The  fire  extended  along  the  whole  of  the  western 
cloister,  and  the  northern  cloister  was  next  day 
burned  by  the  Romans,  and  thus  on  the  west  and 
north  sides  the  inner  Temple  was  now  exposed  to 
the  invader. 

All  this  time  famine  had  been  continuing  its  work. 
The  fighting  men  were  so  weakened  that  they  had 
scarcely  strength  to  drag  their  limbs  along  or  to  hold 
their  weapons,  while  horrible  tales  are  told  of  the 
sufferings  of  such  of  the  inhabitants  who  still  sur- 


392  jB'OR  the  temple. 

vived — one  woman,  maddened  by  despair,  cooking 
and  eating  her  own  infant.  Occasionally  a  baggage 
animal  or  a  Roman  cavalry  horse  strayed  near  the 
walls,  when  a  crowd  of  famishing  wretches  would 
pour  out,  kill  and  devour  it.  Titus,  however,  cut 
off  even  this  occasional  supply  by  ordering  a  soldier 
whose  horse  had  thus  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
Jews  to  be  put  to  death  for  his  carelessness. 

John's  band  had  been  greatly  diminished  in  number 
in  the  two  days  they  had  been  fighting  opposite 
Antonia.  The  stores  they  h'ad  brought  to  the  city 
were  now  exhausted,  although  for  a  long  time  only 
the  smallest  amount  had  been  issued  daily  to  eke 
out  the  handful  of  grain  still  served  out  to  each  of 
the  fighting  men.  A  few  only  had  in  their  suffer- 
ings refused  to  obey  the  orders  of  John  and  their 
officers,  and  had  joined  the  bands  of  Simon  and 
John  of  Gischala  in  the  revolting  cruelties  which 
they  practiced  to  extort  food  from  the  inhabitants. 
These  had  not  yet  been  allowed  to  rejoin  the  band, 
which  was  now  reduced  to  a  little  over  fifty— stern, 
gaunt,  and  famine-worn  figures,  but  still  unshaken 
in  their  determination  to  fight  to  the  end. 

The  Komans  now  pushed  on  a  bank  from  the 
western  wall  across  the  smoldering  ruins  of  the 
cloister  and  inner  court,  and  a  battering-ram  began 
to  play  against  the  inner  Temple ;  but  after  six 
days'  efforts,  and  bringing  up  their  heaviest  batter- 
ing-ram. the  Romans  gave  it  up  in  despair,  for  the 
huge  stones  which  formed  the  masonry  of  the  wall 
defied   even   the   ponderous   ma,chines   which    the 


'  FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  393 

Romans  brought  to  pla}^  against  it.  An  embank- 
ment from  the  northern  side  was  also  carried  across 
the  outer  court  to  the  foot  of  the  most  easterly  of 
the  four  northern  gates  of  the  inner  Temple, 

Still  anxious  to  save  the  Temple  itself  and  its 
cloisters  if  possible,  Titus  would  not  resort  to  the  use 
of  fire,  but  ordered  his  men  to  force  the  gate  with 
crowbars  and  levers.  After  great  efforts  a  few  of 
the  stones  of  the  threshold  were  removed  ;  but  the 
gates  supported  by  the  massive  walls  and  the  props 
behind  defied  all  their  efforts. 

Titus  now  ordered  his  soldiers  to  carry  the  walls  by 
storm.  Ladders  were  brought  up,  and  the  soldiers, 
eager  for  revenge  upon  the  foe  who  had  so  long 
baffled  and  humiliated  them,  sprang  to  the  assault 
with  shouts  of  exultation.  The  Jews  offered  no 
resistance  until  the  Romans  reached  the  top  of 
the  wall ;  but  as  the}'  leaped  down  on  to  the  roof  of 
the  cloister  they  threw  themselves  upon  them. 
Numbers  were  slain  as  they  stepped  off  the  ladders 
on  to  the  wall,  and  many  of  the  ladders  were  hurled 
backward,  crushing  the  soldiers  crowded  upon  them 
on  the  pavement  beneath. 

Then  Titus  ordered  the  standards  of  the  legions 
to  be  carried  up,  thinking  that  the  soldiers  would 
rally  round  these,  the  emblems  of  military  honor. 
The  Jews,  however,  permitted  the  standards  and 
numbers  of  the  legionaries  to  ascend  on  to  the  roof 
of  the  cloisters,  and  then  again  fell  upon  them  with 
such  fury  that  the  Romans  were  overpowered,  the 
standards   were  taken,  and  their  defenders  killed. 


394  ^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Not  one  of  the  Romans  who  had  mounted  the  wall 
retired  from  it. 

Titus  could  no  longer  resist  the  appeals  of  his  in- 
furiated soldiers,  v/ho,  maddened  by  the  losses  they 
had  suffered  and  the  disgrace  of  the  loss  of  the 
standards,  could  not  understand  why  this  loss  was 
entailed  upon  them  when  such  an  easy  way  of 
destrojang  the  gate  and  entering  the  Temple  was  in 
their  power.  Most  reluctantly  Titus  gave  the  per- 
mission they  clamored  for,  and  allowed  his  troops 
to  set  fire  to  the  gate.  The  dry  wood-work  caught 
like  tinder,  and  the  flames  mounted  instantly.  The 
silver  plates  which  covered  the  wood-work  melted 
and  ran  down  in  streams,  and  the  fire  at  once  com- 
municated with  the  cloisters  inside  the  wall. 

Appalled  at  the  sight  of  the  inner  court  in  flames, 
the  Jews  stood  despairing,  while  the  shouts  of 
triumph  of  the  Romans  rose  high  in  the  air.  During 
the  rest  of  the  day  and  all  through  the  night  the 
conflagration  continued  and  extended  all  round  the 
cloisters.  Thus  the  Temple  itself  was  surrounded 
by  a  ring  of  fire. 

The  next  day,  the  4th  of  August,  Titus  called  a 
council  of  his  generals  to  deliberate  on  the  fate  of 
the  Temple.  There  were  present  besides  Titus, 
Tiberias  Alexander,  the  second  in  command;  the 
commanders  of  the  Fifth,  Tenth,  and  Fifteenth 
Legions ;  Fronto,  the  commander  of  the  Alexandrian 
troops ;  and  Marcus  Antonius  Julianus,  the  procu- 
rator of  Judea. 

Some  were  for  leveling  the  Temple  to  the  ground ; 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  895 

others  advised  that,  if  abandoned  by  the  Jews,  it 
might  be  preserved,  but  if  defended  as  a  citadel  it 
ought  to  be  destroyed.  Titus  listened  to  the 
opinions  of  the  others,  and  then  declared  his  own, 
which  was,  that  whatever  the  use  the  Jews  made 
of  it,  it  ought  to  be  preserved.  Alexander,  Cerealis, 
and  Fronto  went  over  to  the  opinion  of  Titus,  and 
therefore  by  a  majority  of  one  it  was  agreed  that 
the  Temple  should  be  spared,  however  fiercely  the 
Jews  might  resist.  Orders  were  given  to  prevent 
the  fire  spreading  to  the  Temple,  and  to  clear  the 
ground  for  an  assault  against  it. 

The  5th  of  August  broke.  It  was  on  that  day 
that  the  Temple  of  Solomon  had  been  burned  by 
Nebuchadnezzar ;  but  the  courage  of  the  Jews  was 
not  depressed  by  the  omen.  The  brief  pause  had 
enabled  them  to  recover  from  the  despair  which 
they  had  felt  in  seeing  the  inner  cloister  in  flames, 
and  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  sallying  from 
the  Eastern  Gate,  they  rushed  down  upon  the 
Romans.  The  latter  formed  in  close  order,  and, 
covered  by  their  shields,  received  the  onslaught 
calmly.  But  so  desperately  did  the  Jews  fight,  and 
in  such  numbers  did  they  pour  out  from  the  Temple, 
that  the  Romans  had  begun  to  give  way,  when 
Titus  arrived  with  great  reenforcements  :  but  even 
then  it  was  not  until  one  o'clock  that  the  Jews 
were  driven  back  again  into  the  walls  of  the  inner 
Temple. 

Titus,  having  seen  his  troops  victorious,  retired  to 
his  tent,  and  the  soldiers  continued  their  work  of 


396  I^'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

clearing  the  platform  and  extinguishing  the  smol- 
dering fire  of  the  cloisters.  Suddenly  the  Jewish 
bands  burst  out  again,  and  another  deadly  struggle 
commenced.  Then  one  of  the  Roman  soldiers,  seiz- 
ing a  burning  brand  from  the  cloisters,  hurled  it 
into  the  window  of  one  of  the  side  chambers  that 
inclosed  the  Temple  on  the  north. 

In  the  furious  struggle  that  was  going  on  none 
noticed  the  action,  and  it  was  not  until  the  flames 
were  seen  rushing  out  of  the  window  that  the  Jews 
perceived  what  had  happened.  With  a  cry  of  an- 
guish they  discontinued  the  conflict,  and  rushed 
back  to  try  and  extinguish  the  flames.  But  the 
wood-work,  dried  by  the  intense  heat  of  the  August 
sun,  was  ripe  for  burning,  and  in  spite  of  the  most 
desperate  efforts  the  fire  spread  rapidly. 

The  news  that  the  Temple  was  on  fire  reached 
Titus,  and  starting  up,  accompanied  by  his  body- 
guard of  spearmen,  commanded  by  Liberatus,  he 
hastened  to  the  spot.  His  officers  followed  him, 
and  as  the  news  spread  the  whole  of  the  Roman 
legionaries  rushed  with  one  accord  to  the  spot. 
Titus  pushed  forward  into  the  first  court  of  the 
inner  Temple,  the  Court  of  the  Women,  and  then 
into  the  inner  court,  and  by  shouts  and  gestures  im- 
plored his  own  soldiers  and  the  Jews  alike  to  assist 
in  subduing  the  flames. 

But  the  clamor  and  din  drowned  his  voice.  The 
legionaries,  pouring  in  after  him,  added  to  the  con- 
fusion. So  great  was  the  crowd  that  many  of  the 
soldiers  were   crushed    to  death,  while   many  fell 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  397 

among  the  ruins  of  the  stilL  smoldering  cloisters 
and  were  either  smothered  or  burned.  Those  who 
reached  the  sanctuary  paid  no  attention  to  the 
remonstrances,  commands,  or  even  threats  of  Titus, 
but  shouted  to  those  in  front  of  them  to  complete 
the  work  of  destruction. 

Titus  pressed  forward  with  his  guards  to  the  vesti- 
bule, and  then  entered,  first  the  Holy,  and  then  the 
Holy  of  Holies.  After  one  glance  at  the  beauty 
and  magnificence  of  the  marvelous  shrine  he  rushed 
back  and  again  implored  his  soldiers  to  exert  them- 
selves to  save  it,  and  ordered  Liberatus  to  strike 
down  any  who  disobeyed.  But  the  soldiers  were 
now  altogether  beyond  control,  and  were  mad  with 
triumph,  fury,  and  hate.  One  of  the  body-guard, 
as  Titus  left  the  sanctuary,  seized  a  brand  and  ap- 
plied it  to  the  wood. work.  The  flames  leaped  up, 
and  soon  the  whole  Temple  was  wrapped  in  fire. 

The  soldiers  spread  through  the  building,  snatch- 
ing at  the  golden  ornaments  and  vessels,  and  slay- 
ing all  they  met,  unarmed  men,  priests  in  their  robes, 
women  and  children.  Many  of  the  Jews  threw 
themselves  into  the  flames.  Some  of  the  priests 
found  their  way  on  to  the  broad  wall  of  the  inner 
Temple,  where  they  remained  until  compelled  by 
famine  to  come  down,  when  they  were  all  executed. 
Six  thousand  of  the  populace  took  refuge  on  the 
roof  of  the  Eoyal  Cloister  along  the  south  side  of 
the  outer  Temple.  The  Komans  set  fire  to  this, 
and  every  soul  upon  it  perished. 

As  soon  as  they  felt  that  their  efforts  to  extin- 


398  POR  THE  TEMPLE. 

guish  the  fire  were  vain  and  that  the  Temple  was 
indeed  lost,  John  of  Gischala,  Simon,  and  John 
called  their  men  together,  and  issuing  out,  fell  with 
the  fury  of  desperation  upon  the  dense  ranks  of  the 
Eoraan  soldiers  in  the  inner  court,  and,  in  spite  of 
their  resistance,  cut  their  way  through  to  the  outer 
court  and  gained  the  bridge  leading  from  the  south- 
west corner  across  the  Yalley  of  the  Tyropceon  to 
the  upper  city,  and  were  therefore  for  a  time  in 
safety. 

John,  bewildered,  exhausted,  and  heart-broken 
from  the  terrible  events  of  the  past  few  days,  stag- 
gered back  to  his  house  and  threw  himself  on  his 
couch  and  lay  there  for  a  long  time  crushed  by  the 
severity  of  the  blow.  Until  now  he  had  hoped  that 
Titus  would  in  the  end  spare  the  Temple,  but  he 
recognized  now  that  it  was  the  obstinacy  of  the  Jews 
that  had  brought  about  its  destruction. 

"  It  was  God's  will  that  it  should  perish,"  he  said 
to  himself  ;  "  and  Titus  could  no  more  save  it  than 
I  could  do."  After  some  hours  he  roused  himself 
and  descended  to  the  room  now  occupied  by  the 
remnant  of  the  band.  Jonas  and  ten  others  alone 
were  gathered  there.  Some  had  thrown  themselves 
down  on  the  ground,  some  sat  in  attitudes  of  utter 
dejection ;  several  were  bleeding  from  wounds 
received  in  the  desperate  fight  of  the  morning,  others 
were  badly  burned  in  the  desperate  efforts  they  had 
made  to  extinguish  the  flames.  Exhausted  by  want 
of  food,  worn  out  by  their  exertions,  filled  with 
despair  at  the  failure  of  their  last  hopes,  the  mem- 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  399 

bers  of  the  little  band  scarce  looked  up  when  their 
leader  entered. 

"  My  friends,"  he  said,  "  listen  to  me,  if  but  for 
the  last  time.  We  at  least  have  nothing  to  reproach 
ourselves  with.  We  have  fought  for  the  Temple  to 
the  last ;  and  if  we  failed  to  save  it,  it  is  because  it 
was  the  will  of  God  that  it  should  perish.  At  any 
rate,  our  duty  is  done.  God  has  not  given  us  our 
lives,  and  preserved  them  through  so  many  fights, 
that  we  should  throw  them  away.  It  is  our  duty 
now  to  save  our  lives  if  we  can.  Now  that  the 
Temple  has  fallen  we  are  called  upon  to  do  no  more 
fighting.  Let  the  bands  of  John  of  Gischala  and 
Simon  fight  to  the  last.  They  are  as  wild  beasts 
inclosed  in  the  snare  of  the  hunter,  and  they  merit 
a  thousand  deaths,  for  it  is  they  who  have  brought 
Jerusalem  to  this  pass,  they  who  have  robbed  and 
murdered  the  population,  they  who  have  destroj^ed 
the  granaries  which  would  have  enabled  the  city  to 
exist  for  years,  they  who  refused  the  terms  by 
which  the  Temple  might  have  been  saved,  they  who 
have  caused  its  destruction  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of 
Titus  to  preserve  it — they  are  the  authors  of  all  this 
ruin  and  woe ;  they  have  lived  as  wild  beasts,  so  let 
them  die  !  But  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should 
die  with  them,  for  their  guilt  is  not  upon  our  heads. 
We  have  done  our  duty  in  fighting  for  the  Temple, 
and  have  robbed  and  injured  none  ;  therefore,  I  say, 
let  us  save  our  lives." 

"  Would  you  surrender  to  the  Komans  ?"  one  of 
the  band  asked  indignantly.  "  Do  you,  whom  we 
have  followed,  counsel  us  to  become  traitors  ?" 


400  ^OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  It  is  not  treachery  to  surrender  when  one  can 
no  longer  resist,"  John  said  quietly.  "  But  I  am 
not  thinking  of  surrendering;  I  am  thinking  of 
passing  out  of  the  city  into  the  country  around. 
But  first  let  us  eat.  I  see  you  look  surprised  ;  but 
although  the  store  we  brought  hither  is  long  since 
exhausted,  there  is  still  a  last  reserve.  I  bought  it 
with  all  the  money  that  I  had  with  me  from  one  of 
Simon's  men  upon  the  day  when  we  came  hither 
from  the  lower  town.  He  had  gained  it,  doubtless, 
in  wanton  robbery,  for  at  that  time  the  fighting 
men  had  plenty  of  food  ;  but  as  it  was  his  I  bought 
it,  thinking  that  the  time  might  come  when  one 
meal  might  mean  life  to  many  of  us.  I  have  never 
touched  it,  but  it  remains  where  I  hid  it  in  my 
chamber.     I  will  fetch  it  now." 

John  ascended  to  his  chamber  and  brought  down 
a  bag  containing  about  fifteen  pounds  of  flour. 

"  Let  us  make  bread  of  this,"  he  said.  "  It  will 
give  us  each  a  good  meal  now,  and  there  will  be 
enough  left  to  provide  food  for  each  during  the  first 
day's  journey." 

The  exhausted  men  seemed  inspired  with  new 
life  at  the  sight  of  the  food.  No  thought  of  asking 
how  they  were  to  pass  through  the  Koman  lines  oc- 
curred to  them.  The  idea  of  satisfying  their  hunger 
overpowered  all  other  feelings.  The  door  was 
closed  to  keep  out  intruders.  Dough  was  made 
and  a  fire  kindled  with  pieces  of  wood  dry  as  tin- 
der, so  that  no  smoke  should  attract  the  eye  of 
those  who  were  constantly  on  the  lookout  for  such 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  401 

a  sign  that  some  family  were  engaged  in  cooking. 
The  flat  dough-cakes  were  placed  over  the  glowing 
embers,  the  whole  having  been  divided  into  twenty- 
four  portions.  Some  of  the  men  would  hardly 
wait  until  their  portions  were  baked,  but  John 
urged  upon  them  that,  were  they  to  eat  it  in  a 
half-cooked  state,  the  consequences  might  be  very 
serious  after  their  prolonged  fast.  Still  none  of 
them  could  resist  breaking  off  little  pieces  to  stay 
their  craving. 

"  Let  us  eat  slowly,"  John  said  when  the  food 
was  ready.  "  The  more  slowly  we  eat  the  further 
it  will  go.  When  it  is  eaten  we  will  take  a  sleep 
for  four  hours  to  reMin  our  strength.  There  is  no 
fear  of  our  being  called  upon  to  aid  in  the  defense. 
The  Romans  must  be  as  exhausted  as  we  are ;  and 
they  will  need  thought  and  preparation  before 
they  attack  our  last  stronghold,  which  is  far 
stronger  than  any  they  have  yet  taken.  If  we  had 
food  we  could  hold  Mount  Zion  against  them  for 
months." 

As  soon  as  the  meal  was  over  all  lay  down  to 
sleep.  None  had  asked  any  question  as  to  how 
their  escape  was  to  be  effected.  The  unexpected 
meal  which  John's  forethought  had  prepared  for 
them  had  revived  all  their  confidence  in  hira,  and 
they  were  ready  to  follow  him  wherever  he  might 
take  them.  It  was  night  when  John  called  them 
to  awake,  but  the  glare  of  the  vast  pile  of  the  burn- 
ing Temple  lit  up  every  object;  the  brightness 
almost  equaled  that  of  day. 


40a  ^R  THE  TEMPLE. 

"  It  is  time,"  John  said  as  the  men  rose  to  their 
feet  and  grasped  their  arms.  "  I  trust  that  we  shall 
have  no  occasion  to  use  weapons  ;  but  we  will  carry 
them,  so  that  if  we  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
Romans  we  may  fall  fighting,  and  not  die  by  the 
torments  that  they  inflict  upon  those  who  fall  into 
their  hands.  If  I  could  obtain  a  hearing  so  as  to 
be  brought  before  Titus  he  might  give  us  our  lives, 
but  I  will  not  trust  to  that.  In  the  first  place,  they 
would  cut  us  down  like  hunted  animals  did  they 
come  upon  us ;  and  in  the  second,  I  would  not  now 
owe  my  life  to  the  clemency  of  the  Romans." 

A  fierce  assent  was  given  by  his  followers. 

"  Now,"  John  went  on,  "  let  each  take  his  piece 
of  bread  and  put  it  in  his  bosom.  Leave  your 
bucklers  and  javelins  behind  you,  but  take  your 
swords.  Jonas,  bring  a  brand  from  the  fire.  Now 
let  us  be  off." 

None  of  those  with  him  except  Jonas  had  the 
least  idea  where  he  was  going  ;  but  he  had  instruct- 
ed the  lad  in  the  secret  of  the  pit,  and  one  day  had 
taken  him  down  the  passages  to  the  aqueduct. 

"  You  and  I  found  safety  before,  Jonas,  together, 
and  I  trust  may  do  so  again ;  but  should  anything 
happen  to  me,  you  will  now  have  the  means  of 
escape." 

"  If  you  die  I  will  die  with  you,  master,"  Jonas 
said.  And  indeed  in  the  fights  he  had  always  kept 
close  to  John,  following  every  movement  and  ready 
to  dash  forward  when  his  leader  was  attacked  by 
more  than  one  enemy,  springing  upon  them  like  a 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  403 

wild  cat  and  burying  his  knife  in  their  throats.  It 
was  to  his  watchful  protection  and  ready  aid  that 
John  owed  it  that  he  had  passed  through  so  many 
combats  comparatively  unharmed. 

"Not  so,  Jonas,"  he  said,  in  answer  to  the  lad's 
declaration  that  he  would  die  with  him.  "  It  would 
be  no  satisfaction  to  me  that  you  should  share 
my  fate,  but  a  great  one  to  know  that  3^ou  would 
get  away  safely.  If  I  fall  I  charge  you  to  pass  out 
by  this  underground  way,  and  to  carry  to  my  father 
and  mother  and  Mary  the  news  that  I  have  fallen 
fighting  to  the  last  in  the  defense  of  the  Temple. 
Tell  them  that  I  thought  of  them  to  the  end,  and 
that  I  sent  you  to  them  to  be  with  them,  and  to  be 
to  my  father  and  mother  a  son  until  they  shall  find 
for  Mary  a  husband  who  may  fill  my  place  and  be 
the  stay  of  their  old  age.  My  father  will  treat  you 
as  an  adopted  son  for  my  sake,  and  will  bestow 
upon  you  a  portion  of  his  lands.  You  have  been  as 
a  brother  to  me,  Jonas ;  and  I  pray  you  promise  me 
to  carry  out  my  wishes." 

Jonas  had  reluctantly  given  the  pledge,  but  from 
that  hour  until  John  had  declared  that  he  would 
fight  no  more,  Jonas  had  been  moody  and  silent. 
Now,  however,  as  he  walked  behind  his  friend,  his 
face  was  full  of  satisfaction.  There  was  no  chance 
now  that  he  would  have  to  take  home  the  news  of 
his  leader's  death.  Whatever  befell  them,  they 
would  share  together.  They  soon  reached  the  door 
of  the  house  in  which  the  pit  was  situated.  It  was 
entered   and   the   door  closed  behind   them.     The 


404  I'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

lamps  were  then  lit.  John  led  the  way  to  the  cellar 
and  bade  the  men  remove  the  boards. 

"  I  will  go  first  with  one  of  the  lamps,"  he  said. 
"  Do  jou,  Jonas,  take  the  other  and  come  last  in  the 
line.  Keep  close  together,  so  that  the  light  may 
be  sufficient  for  all  to  see." 

Strengthened  by  the  meal  and  by  their  confi- 
dence in  John's  promise  to  lead  them  through  the 
Koraans,  the  band  felt  like  new  men,  and  followed 
John  with  their  usual  light  active  gait  as  he  led  the 
way.  Not  a  word  was  spoken  till  they  reached  the 
hole  leading  into  the  aqueduct. 

"  This  is  the  Conduit  of  King  Hezekiah,"  John 
said.  "  When  we  emerge  at  the  other  end  we  shall 
be  beyond  the  Roman  lines.'" 

Exclamations  of  satisfaction  burst  from  the  men. 
Each  had  been  wondering,  as  he  walked,  where 
their  leader  was  taking  them.  All  knew  that  the 
ground  beneath  Jerusalem  was  honeycombed  by 
caves  and  passages ;  but  that  their  leader  could  not 
intend  to  hide  there  was  evident,  for  they  had  but 
one  meal  with  them.  But  that  any  of  these  pas- 
sages should  debouch  beyond  the  Roman  lines  had 
not  occurred  to  them. 

Each  had  thought  that  the  passages  they  were 
following  would  probably  lead  out  at  the  foot 
of  the  wall  into  the  Yalley  of  Hinnom  or  of 
Jehoshaphat,  and  that  John  intended  to  creep  \vith 
them  up  to  the  foot  of  the  Roman  wall,  and  to  trust 
to  activity  and  speed  to  climb  it  and  make  their 
way  through   the   guard   placed   there   to   cut  off 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  405 

fugitives.  But  none  had  even  hoped  that  they 
would  be  able  to  pass  the  wall  of  circumvallation 
without  a  struggle. 

An  hour's  walking  brought  them  to  the  chamber 
over  the  springs. 

"Now,"  John  said,  "we  will  rest  for  half  an 
hour  before  we  sally  out.  Let  each  man  eat  half 
the  food  he  has  brought  with  hira.  The  rest  he 
must  keep  till  to-morrow,  for  we  shall  have  to  travel 
many  miles  before  we  can  reach  a  spot  that  the 
Romans  have  not  laid  desolate,  and  where  we  may 
procure  food.  I  trust,"  he  went  on,  "  that  we  shall 
be  altogether  unnoticed.  The  sentries  may  be  on 
the  alert  on  their  wall,  for  they  will  think  it  likely 
that  many  may  be  trying  to  escape  from  the  city, 
but  all  save  those  on  duty  will  be  either  asleep  after 
their  toils  or  feasting  in  honor  of  their  success. 
The  fact,  too,  of  the  great  glare  of  light  over  Jeru- 
salem will  render  the  darkness  more  intense  when 
they  look  in  the  other  direction.  But  if  we  should 
be  noticed,  it  is  best  that  we  should  separate  and 
scatter  in  the  darkness,  each  flying  for  his  life  and 
making  his  way  home  as  best  he  may ;  if  we  are 
not  seen,  we  will  keep  together.  There  is  no  fear 
of  meeting  with  any  Roman  bands  when  we  are 
once  fairly  away.  The  parties  getting  wood  will 
have  been  warned  by  the  smoke  of  what  has  taken 
place,  and  will  have  hurried  back  to  gain  their  share 
of  the  spoil." 

At  the  end  of  the  half-hour  John  rose  to  his  feet 
and  led  the  way  along  the  passage  to  the  entrance. 


406  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

When  he  came  to  the  spot  where  it  was  nearly 
blocked  up  he  blew  out  his  light  and  crawled  for- 
ward over  the  rubbish  until  he  reached  the  open 
air.  The  others  followed  until  all  were  beside  him, 
then  he  rose  to  his  feet.  The  Temple  was  not 
visible,  but  the  whole  sky  seemed  on  fire  above 
Jerusalem,  and  the  outline  of  the  three  great 
towers  of  the  Palace  of  Herod  and  of  the  buildings 
of  the  upper  city  stood  black  against  the  glare. 

There  was  no  sign  of  life  or  movement  near  as 
with  a  quick,  noiseless  step  the  little  party  stole 
away.  None  of  them  knew  more  than  the  general 
direction  which  they  had  to  follow,  but  the  glare  of 
the  great  fire  served  as  a  guide  as  to  their  direction, 
and  even  at  this  distance  made  objects  on  the 
ground  plainly  visible,  so  that  they  were  enabled  to 
pick  their  way  among  the  stumps  of  the  fallen 
plantations  and  orchards,  through  gardens,  and  by 
ruined  villas  and  houses,  until  they  reached  the 
edge  of  the  plateau,  and  plunged  down  into  the 
valleys  descending  to  the  Dead  Sea.  After  walk- 
ing for  two  hours  John  called  a  halt. 

"  We  can  walk  slowly  now,"  he  said,  "  and  avoid 
the  risk  of  breaking  our  legs  among  the  rocks.  We 
are  safe  here,  and  had  best  lie  down  until  morning, 
and  then  resume  our  way.  There  is  no  fear  what- 
ever of  the  Romans  sending  out  parties  for  da3's. 
They  have  the  upper  city  to  take  yet,  and  the  work 
of  plunder  and  division  of  the  spoil  to  carry  out. 
We  can  sleep  without  anxiety." 

It  was  strange  to  them  all  to  lie  down  to  sleep 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  407 

among  the  stillness  of  the  mountains  after  the  din 
and  turmoil  of  the  siege,  when  at  any  moment  they 
might  be  called  upon  to  leap  up  to  repel  an  attack  ; 
but  few  of  them  went  off  to  sleep  for  some  time. 
The  dull  feeling  of  despair,  the  utter  carelessness  of 
life,  the  desire  for  death  and  the  end  of  trouble 
which  had  so  long  oppressed  them,  these  had  passed 
away  now  that  they  were  free  and  in  the  open  air ; 
and  the  thoughts  of  the  homes  they  had  never 
thought  to  see  again,  and  of  the  loved  ones  who 
would  greet  them  on  their  return  as  men  who  had 
almost  come  back  from  the  dead,  fell  upon  them. 
They  could  go  back  with  heads  erect  and  clear  con- 
sciences. They  had  fought  so  long  as  the  Temple 
stood.  They  had  over  and  over  again  faced  the 
Romans  hand  to  hand  without  giving  way  a  foot. 
They  had  taken  no  share  in  the  evil  deeds  in  the 
city,  and  had  wronged  and  plundered  no  one. 
They  did  not  return  as  conquerors,  but  that  was  the 
will  of  God  and  no  fault  of  theirs. 

At  daybreak  they  were  on  their  feet  again,  and 
now  struck  off  more  to  the  left,  following  mountain 
paths  among  the  hills  until  at  last  they  came  down 
to  the  plain  within  half  a  mile  of  the  upper  end  of 
the  Dead  Sea.  John  here  called  his  companions 
round  him. 

"  Here,  my  friends,"  he  said,  "  I  think  it  were 
best  that  we  separated,  laying  aside  our  swords,  and 
singly  or  in  pairs  finding  the  way  back  to  our 
homes.  We  know  not  in  what  towns  there  may  be 
Boman  garrisons  or  where  we  may  meet  parties  of 


408  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

their  soldiers  traversing  the  country.  Alone  we 
shall  attract  no  attention.  One  man  may  conceal 
himself  behind  a  tree  or  in  the  smallest  bush,  but 
the  sight  of  a  party  together  would  assuredly  draw 
them  upon  us,  therefore  it  were  best  to  separate. 
Some  of  you  will  find  it  shorter  to  cross  the  ford  of 
the  Jordan  three  miles  away,  while  others  had  best 
follow  this  side  of  the  river." 

All  agreed  that  this  would  be  the  safer  plan,  and 
after  a  short  talk  each  took  leave  of  his  leader  and 
comrades  and  strode  away,  until  Jonas  alone  re- 
mained with  John. 

"  Will  you  cross  the  river,  John,  or  follow  this 
side  V  Jonas  asked. 

"  I  think  we  had  best  keep'  on  this  side,  Jonas  ; 
on  the  other  the  country  is  hilly  and  the  villages 
few.  Here  at  least  we  can  gather  fruit  and  corn  as 
we  go  from  the  deserted  gardens  and  fields,  and 
two  days'  walking  will  take  us  to  Tarichea.  We 
can  cross  there  or  take  a  boat  up  the  lake." 

After  waiting  until  the  last  of  their  comrades  had 
disappeared  from  sight  John  and  his  companion 
continued  their  way,  keeping  about  half-way  be- 
tween Jericho  and  the  Jordan.  They  presently 
bore  to  the  left  until  on  the  great  road  running 
north  from  Jericho.  This  they  followed  until 
nightfall,  rejoicing  in  the  grapes  and  figs  which 
they  picked  by  the  roadside,  where  but  a  few 
months  since  little  villages  had  nestled  thickly. 
Just  before  darkness  fell  they  came  upon  a  village, 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  409 

which,  although  deserted,  had  not  been  burned, 
probably  owing  to  some  body  of  Roman  soldiers 
having  taken  up  their  post  there  for  a  time.  They 
entered  one  of  the  houses,  lay  down,  and  were  soon 
fast  asleep. 


410  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 


CHAPTER  XYIII. 


SLAVES. 


John  was  roused  from  sleep  by  being  roughly 
shaken.  He  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  found  a  number 
of  men,  some  of  whom  were  holding  torches,  in  the 
room.  Two  of  these  had  the  appearance  of  mer- 
chants. The  others  were  armed,  and  by  their 
dress  seemed  to  be  Arabs. 

"  What  are  you  doing  here  ?"  one  of  the  men 
asked  him. 

"  "We  are  peaceful  travelers,"  John  said,  "  in- 
juring no  one,  and  came  in  here  to  sleep  the  night." 

"  You  look  like  peaceful  travelers !"  the  man  re- 
plied. "  You  have  two  wounds  yet  unhealed  on 
your  head.  Your  companion  has  one  of  his  arms 
bandaged.  You  are  either  robbers  or  some  of  the 
cut-throats  who  escaped  from  Jerusalem.  You  may 
think  it  lucky  you  have  fallen  into  my  hands  in- 
stead of  that  of  the  Romans,  who  would  have 
finished  you  off  without  a  question.  Bind  them," 
he  said,  turning  to  his  men. 

Resistance  was  useless.  The  hands  of  John  and 
Jonas  were  tied  behind  their  backs,  and  they  were 
taken  outside  the  house.     Several  fires  were  burn- 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  411 

ing  in  the  road,  and  lying  down  were  three  or  four 
hundred  men  and  women,  while  several  men  with 
spears  and  swords  stood  as  a  guard  over  them. 
John  saw  at  once  that  he  had  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  a  slave-dealer,  one  of  the  many  who  had  come 
from  various  parts  to  purchase  the  Jews  whom  the 
Romans  sold  as  slaves,  and  already  the  multitude 
sold  was  so  vast  that  it  had  reduced  the  price  of 
slaves  throughout  Italy,  Egypt,  and  the  East  to  one- 
third  of  their  former  value.  There  were,  however, 
comparatively  few  able-bodied  men  among  them. 
In  almost  every  case  the  Romans  had  put  these  to 
the  sword,  and  the  slave-dealers,  finding  John  and 
Jonas,  had  congratulated  themselves  on  the  ac- 
quisition, knowing  well  that  no  complaint  that  the 
captives  might  make  would  be  listened  to,  and  that 
their  story  would  not  be  believed  even  if  they  could 
get  to  tell  it  to  any  one  of  authority.  John  and 
Jonas  were  ordered  to  lie  down  with  the  rest,  and 
were  told  that  if  they  made  any  attempt  to  escape 
they  would  be  scourged  to  death. 

"  The  villains !"  Jonas  muttered  as  they  lay 
down.  "  Is  it  not  enough  to  drive  one  mad  to 
think  that  after  having  escaped  the  Romans  we 
should  fall  into  the  hands  of  these  rogues  !" 

"  We  must  not  grumble  at  fate.  Hitherto,  Jonas, 
we  have  been  marvelously  preserved.  First  of  all, 
we  two  were  alone  saved  from  Jotapata.  then  we 
with  ten  others  alone  out  of  six  hundred  escaped 
alive  from  Jerusalem,  "We  have  reason  for  thank- 
fulness rather  than    repining.     We  have  been  de- 


412  ^OB  TEE  TEMPLE. 

livered  oat  of  the  hands  of  death ;  and  remember 
that  I  have  the  ring  of  Titus  with  rae,  and  that 
when  the  time  comes  this  will  avail  us." 

From  the  day  the  siege  had  begun  John  had 
carried  the  signet-ring  of  Titus,  wearing  it  on  his 
toe,  concealed  by  the  bands  of  his  sandals.  He 
knew  that  were  he  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Ro- 
mans he  would  get  no  opportunity  of  speaking,  but, 
even  if  not  tilled  at  once,  would  be  robbed  of  any 
valuable  he  might  possess,  and  that  his  assertion 
that  the  rini^  was  a  signet  which  Titus  himself  had 
given  him  would,  ev^en  if  listened  to,  be  received 
with  incredulity.  He  had  therefore  resolved  to 
keep  it  concealed,  and  to  produce  it  only  when  a 
favorable  opportunity  seemed  to  offer. 

"  At  any  rate,  Jonas,  let  us  practice  patience  and 
be  thankful  that  we  are  still  alive." 

In  the  morning  the  cavalcade  got  into  motion. 
John  found  that  the  majority  of  his  fellow-captives 
were  people  who  had  been  taken  captive  when 
Titus  for  the  second  time  obtained  possession  of  the 
lower  city.  They  had  been  sent  up  to  Tiberias  and 
there  sold,  and  their  purchaser  was  now  taking 
them  down  to  Egypt. 

The  men  were  mostly  past  middle  age,  and  would 
have  been  of  little  value  as  slaves  had  it  not  been 
that  they  were  all  craftsmen,  workers  in  stone  or 
metal,  and  would  therefore  fetch  a  fair  price  if  sold 
to  masters  of  these  crafts.  The  rest  were  women 
and  children.  The  men  were  attached  to  each  other 
by  cords,  John  and  Jon£|,s  being  placed  at  some  dis 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  413 

tance  apart,  and  one  of  the  armed  guards  placed 
himself  near  each,  as  there  was  far  more  risk  of 
active  and  determined  young  men  trying  to  make 
their  escape  than  of  the  others  doing  so,  especially 
after  the  manner  in  which  they  had  been  kid- 
naped. All  their  clothes  were  taken  from  them 
save  their  loin-cloths,  and  John  trembled  lest  he 
should  be  ordered  also  to  take  off  his  sandals,  for 
his  present  captors  would  have  no  idea  of  the  value 
of  the  ring,  but  would  seize  it  for  its  setting. 

Fortunately,  however,  this  was  not  the  case.  The 
guards  all  wore  sandals,  and  had  therefore  no 
motive  in  taking  those  of  the  captives,  especially  as 
they  were  old  and  worn.  The  party  soon  turned 
off  from  the  main  road  and  struck  across  the  hills 
to  the  west,  and  John  bitterly  regretted  that  he 
had  not  halted  for  the  night  a  few  miles  further 
back  than  he  did,  in  which  case  he  would  have 
avoided  the  slave-dealers'  caravan. 

The  heat  was  intense,  and  John  pitied  the  women 
and  children,  compelled  to  keep  up  with  the  rest. 
He  soon  proposed  to  a  woman  who  was  burdened 
with  a  child  about  two  years  old  to  place  it  on  his 
shoulders,  and  as  the  guard  saw  in  this  a  proof  that 
their  new  captives  had  no  idea  of  endeavoring  to 
escape  they  offered  no  objection  to  the  arrange- 
ment, which,  indeed,  seemed  so  good  to  them  that 
as  the  other  mothers  became  fatigued  they  placed 
the  children  on  the  shoulders  of  the  male  prisoners, 
loosing  the  hands  of  the  latter  in  order  that  they 
might  prevent  the  little  ones  from  losing  their 
balance. 


414  FOB  TEE  TEMPLE. 

The  caravan  halted  for  the  night  at  Sichera,  and 
the  next  day  crossed  Mount  Gerizim  to  Bethsalisa, 
and  then  went  on  to  Jaffa.  Here  the  slave-dealers 
hired  a  ship  and  embarked  the  slaves.  They  were 
crowded  closely  together,  but  otherwise  were  not 
unkindly  treated,  being  supplied  with  an  abundance 
of  food  and  water,  for  it  was  desirable  that  they 
should  arrive  in  the  best  possible  condition  at  Alex- 
andria, whither  they  were  bound. 

Fortunately  the  weather  was  fine,  and  in  six 
daj/s  they  reached  their  destination.  Alexandria 
was  at  that  time  the  largest  cit}'',  next  to  Rome 
herself,  upon  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean.  It 
had  contained  a  very  large  Jewish  population  prior 
to  the  great  massacre  five  year^  before,  and  even  now 
there  were  a  considerable  number  remaining.  The 
merchant  had  counted  upon  this,  and,  indeed,  had 
it  not  been  for  the  number  of  Jews  scattered  among 
the  various  cities  of  the  East  the  price  of  slaves 
would  have  fallen  even  lower  than  it  did.  But  the 
Jewish  residents,  so  far  as  they  could  afford  it, 
came  forward  to  buy  their  country  men  and  women 
in  order  to  free  them  from  slavery. 

When,  therefore,  the  new  arrivals  were  exposed 
in  the  market  many  assuring  messages  reached 
them  from  their  compatriots,  telling  them  to  keep 
up  their  courage,  for  friends  would  look  after  them. 
The  feeling  against  the  Jews  was  still  too  stiong 
for  those  who  remained  in  Alexandria  to  appear 
openly  in  the  matter,  and  they  therefore  employed 
intermediaries,  principally  Greeks  and  Cretans,  to 
buy  up  the  captives.. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  415 

The  women  with  children  were  the  first  pur- 
chased, as  the  value  of  these  was  not  great ;  then 
some  of  the  older  men,  who  were  unfit  for  much 
work,  were  taken ;  then  there  was  a  pause,  for  al- 
ready many  cargoes  of  captives  had  reached  Alex- 
andria, and  the  resources  of  their  benevolent  coun« 
trymen  were  becoming  exhausted.  No  one  had  yet 
bid  for  John  or  Jonas,  as  the  slave-dealers  had 
placed  a  high  price  upon  them  as  being  strong  and 
active  and  fitted  for  hard  work.  Their  great  fear 
was  that  they  should  be  separated,  and  John  had 
over  and  over  again  assured  his  companion  that 
should  he,  as  he  hoped,  succeed  in  getting  himself 
sent  to  Titus,  and  so  be  freed,  he  would,  before  pro- 
ceeding home,  come  to  Egypt  and  purchase  his 
friend's  freedom. 

The  event  they  feared,  however,  did  not  happen. 
One  day  a  Koman,  evidently  of  high  rank,  came 
into  the  market,  and,  after  looking  carelessly  round, 
fixed  his  eyes  upon  John  and  his  companion  and  at 
once  approached  their  master.  A  few  minutes  were 
spent  in  bargaining,  then  the  dealer  unfastened  the 
fetters  which  bound  them,  and  the  Roman  briefly 
bade  them  follow  him.  He  proceeded  through  the 
crowded  streets  until  they  were  in  the  country  out- 
side the  town.  Here  villas  with  beautiful  gardens 
lined  the  roads.  The  Roman  turned  in  at  the  en- 
trance to  one  of  the  largest  of  these  mansions. 
Under  a  colonnade  which  surrounded  the  house  a 
lady  was  reclining  upon  a  couch ;  her  two  slave- 
girls  were  fanning  her. 


416  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

*'  Lesbia,"  the  Roman  said,  "  you  complained  yes- 
terday that  you  had  not  enough  slaves  to  keep  the 
garden  in  proper  order,  so  I  have  brought  you  two 
more  from  the  slave-market.  They  are  Jews,  that 
obstinate  race  that  have  been  giving  Titus  so  much 
trouble.  Young  as  they  are  they  seem  to  have 
been  fighting,  for  both  of  them  are  marked  with 
several  scars." 

"  I  dare  say  they  will  do,"  the  lad}'^  said.  "  The 
Jews  are  said  to  understand  the  culture  of  the  vine 
and  fig  better  than  other  people,  so  they  are  prob- 
ably accustomed  to  garden  work." 

The  Roman  clapped  his  hands,  and  a  slave  at 
once  appeared. 

"  Send  Philo  here."  A  minute  later  a  Greek  ap- 
peared. "  Philo,  here  are  two  slaves  I  have  brought 
from  the  market ;  they  are  for  work  in  the  garden. 
Se©  that  they  do  it,  and  let  me  know  how  things  go 
on.  We  shall  know  how  to  treat  them  if  they  are 
troublesome."  Philo  at  once  led  the  two  new 
slaves  to  the  shed  at  a  short  distance  from  the 
house  where  the  slaves  employed  out  of  doors 
lodged. 

"  Do  you  speak  Greek  ?"  he  asked. 

"  As  well  as  my  native  language,"  John  replied. 

"My  lord  Tibellus  is  a  just  and  good  master," 
Philo  said,  "  and  you  are  fortunate  in  having  fallen 
into  his  hands.  He  expects  his  slaves  to  work  their 
best,  and  if  they  do  so  he  treats  them  well ;  but  dis- 
obedience and  laziness  he  punishes  severely.  He  is 
an  officer  of  high  rank  in  the  government  of  the 


'  L.ESBIA,"  THK  RO&UN  SAID,  "  I  HAVE  BROUGHT  YOO  TWO  UOKE  SLA.VESU."— Page  ilO. 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  417 

city.  As  you  may  not  know  the  country,  I  warn 
you  against  thinking  of  escape.  The  Lake  of 
Mareotis  well-nigh  surrounds  the  back  of  the  city, 
and  beyond  the  lake  the  Koman  authority  extends 
for  a  vast  distance,  and  none  would  dare  to  conceal 
runaway  slaves." 

"We  shall  not  attempt  to  escape,"  John  said 
quietly,  "  and  are  well  content  that  we  have  fallen 
in  such  good  hands.  I  am  accustomed  to  work  in  a 
garden,  but  my  companion  has  not  had  much  ex- 
perience at  such  work,  therefore  I  pray  you  be 
patient  with  him  at  first." 

John  had  agreed  with  Jonas  that  if  they  had  the 
good  fortune  to  be  sold  to  a  Roman  they  would  not 
for  a  time  say  anything  about  the  ring.  It  was 
better,  they  thought,  to  wait  until  Titus  returned 
to  Rome,  which  he  would  be  sure  to  do  after  the 
complete  conquest  of  Jerusalem. 

Even  were  they  sent  to  him  there,  while  he  was 
still  full  of  wrath  and  bitterness  against  the  Jews 
for  the  heavy  loss  that  they  had  inflicted  upon  his 
army,  and  for  the  obstinacy  which  compelled  him 
to  destroy  the  city  which  he  would  fain  have  pre- 
served as  a  troph}'  of  his  victory,  they  might  be  less 
favorably  received  than  they  would  be  after  there 
had  been  some  time  for  the  passions  awakened  by 
the  strife  to  abate,  especially  after  the  enjoyment 
of  the  triumph  which  was  sure  to  be  accorded  to 
him  on  his  return  after  his  victory. 

The  next  day  the  ring,  the  badge  of  slavery,  was 
fastened  round  the  necks  of  the  two  new  purchases. 


418  FOR  THE  TEMPLE, 

John  had  already  hidden  in  the  ground  the  precious 
ring,  as  he  rightly  expected  that  he  would  have  to 
work  barefooted.  They  were  at  once  set  to  work 
in  the  garden.  John  was  surprised  at  the  number 
and  variety  of  the  plants  and  trees  which  filled  it, 
and  at  the  beauty  and  care  with  which  it  was  laid 
out  and  tended.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  thought 
of  the  grief  that  they  would  be  suffering  at  home 
he  woulv,  for  a  time  have  worked  contentedfy. 
The  labor  was  no  harder  than  that  on  his  father's 
farm,  and  as  he  worked  well  and  willingly  Philo, 
who  was  at  the  head  of  the  slaves  employed  in  the 
garden,  which  was  a  very  extensive  one,  did  not 
treat  him  with  harshness. 

Jonas,  although  less  skillful,'  also  gave  satisfac-. 
tion,  and  two  months  passed  without  any  unpleas- 
ant incident.  The  Roman  slaves,  save  in  exceptional 
instances,  were  all  well  treated  by  their  masters, 
although  these  had  power  of  life  and  death  over 
them.  They  were  well  fed,  and  generally  had  some 
small  money  payment  made  them.  Sometimes 
those  who  were  clever  at  a  handicraft  were  let  out 
to  other  masters,  receiving  a  portion  of  the  wages 
they  earned,  so  that  they  were  frequentl}'^  able  in 
old  age  to  purchase  their  freedom. 

There  were  four  other  slaves  who  worked  in  the 
garden.  Two  of  these  were  Nubians,  one  a  Parthian, 
the  other  a  Spaniard.  The  last  died  of  home-sick- 
ness and  fever  after  they  had  been  there  six  weeks, 
and  his  place  was  filled  up  by  another  ^ew  from  a 
cargo  freshly  arrived. 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE,  419 

From  him  John  learned  what  had  taken  place 
after  he  had  left  Jerusalem.  The  bands  of  Simon 
and  John  of  Gischala  were  so  much  weakened  by 
death  and  desertion,  and  were  so  enfeebled  by  fam- 
ine, that  they  could  not  hope  to  withstand  the 
regular  approaches  of  the  Roman  arms  for  any 
length  of  time.  The  two  leaders  therefore  invited 
Titus  to  a  parley,  and  the  latter,  being  desirous  of 
avoiding  more  bloodshed,  of  saving  the  Palace  of 
Herod  and  the  other  great  buildings  in  the  upper 
city,  and  of  returning  to  Rome  at  once,  agreed  to 
meet  them.  They  took  their  places  at  opposite  ends 
of  the  bridge  across  the  Tyropoeon  Yalley. 

Titus  spoke  first,  and  expostulated  with  them  on 
the  obstinacy  which  had  already  led  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Temple  and  the  greater  part  of  the  city. 
He  said  that  all  the  world,  even  to  the  distant 
Britons,  had  done  homage  to  the  Romans,  and  that 
further  resistance  would  only  bring  destruction  upon 
them.  Finally,  he  offered  their  lives  to  all  if  they 
would  lay  down  their  arras  and  surrender  themselves 
as  prisoners  of  war. 

Simon  and  John  replied  that  they  and  their  fol- 
lowers had  bound  themselves  by  a  solemn  oath  never 
to  surrender  themselves  into  the  hands  of  the  Ro- 
mans, but  they  expressed  their  willingness  to  retire 
with  their  wives  and  families  into  the  wilderness 
and  leave  the  Romans  in  possession  of  the  city. 
Titus  considered  this  language  for  men  in  so  des- 
perate a  position  to  be  a  mockery,  and  answered 
sternly  that  henceforth  he  would  receive  no  desert- 


420  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

ers  and  show  no  mercy,  and  that  they  might  fight 
their  hardest.  He  at  once  ordered  the  destruction 
of  all  the  buildings  standing  round  the  Temple. 

The  flames  spread  as  far  as  the  Palace  of  Helena 
on  Ophel,  to  the  south  of  the  Temple  platform. 
Here  the  members  of  the  royal  family  of  Adiabene 
dwelt,  and  also  in  the  Palaces  of  Grapte  and  Mono- 
bazus,  and  the  descendants  of  Helena  now  went 
over  to  the  Romans,  and  Titus,  although  he  had 
declared  that  he  would  in  future  spare  none,  did  not 
take  their  lives,  seeing  that  they  were  of  royal  blood. 
Simon  and  John  of  Gischala,  when  they  heard  that 
the  Adiabene  princes  had  gone  over  to  the  Romans, 
rushed  to  the  Palace  of  Helena,  sacked  it,  and 
murdered  all  who  had  taken  refuge  in  the  building, 
seven  thousand  in  number ;  they  then  sacked  the 
rest  of  the  outer  lower  town,  and  retired  with  their 
booty  into  the  high  town. 

Titus,  furious  at  this  conduct,  ordered  all  the  outer 
lower  town  to  be  burned,  and  soon  from  the  Temple 
platform  to  the  Fountain  of  Siloam  a  scene  of  deso- 
lation extended.  The  Roman  soldiers  then  com- 
menced to  throw  up  banks,  the  one  against  Herod's 
Palace,  the  other  near  the  bridge  across  the  valley 
close  to  the  Palace  of  Agrippa.  The  Idumeans  under 
Simon  were  opposed  to  further  resistance,  and  five 
of  their  leaders  opened  communication  with  Titus, 
who  was  disposed  to  treat  with  them,  but  the  con- 
spiracy was  discovered  by  Simon  and  the  five  leaders 
executed.  Still,  in  spite  of  the  watchfulness  of  Simon 
and  John  large  numbers  of  the  inhabitants  made 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  421 

their  escape  to  the  Romans,  who,  tired  of  sla3'ing, 
spared  their  lives,  but  sold  the  able-bodied  as  slaves 
and  allowed  tlie  rest  to  pass  through  their  lines. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  after  eighteen  days'  in- 
cessant labor,  the  bank  on  the  west  against  Herod's 
Palace  was  completed  and  the  battering-rams 
commenced  their  work.  The  defenders  were  too 
enfeebled  by  famine  to  offer  any  serious  resistance, 
and  the  next  day  a  long  line  of  the  wall  fell  to  the 
ground. 

Simon  and  John  at  first  thoug'ht  of  cutting^  their 
way  through  the  Roman  ranks,  but  when  they  saw 
how  small  was  the  bod}^  of  followers  gathered 
round  them  they  gave  up  the  attempt.  They 
hesitated  for  a  moment  whether  they  should  throw 
themselves  into  the  three  great  towers  and  fight  to 
the  last,  or  endeavor  to  fight  their  way  through  the 
wall  of  circumvallation. 

They  chose  the  latter  course,  hurried  down  to 
the  lower  end  of  the  upper  city,  and  sallying  out 
from  the  gate  they  rushed  at  the  Roman  wall ;  but 
they  had  no  engines  of  war  to  batter  it,  they  were 
few  in  number  and  weakened  by  famine,  and  when 
they  tried  to  scale  the  wall  the  Roman  guards,  as- 
sembling in  haste,  beat  them  back,  and  they 
returned  into  the  city  and,  scattering,  hid  them- 
selves in  the  underground  caves. 

The  Romans  advanced  to  the  great  towers  and 
found  them  deserted.  Titus  stood  amazed  at  their 
strength  and  solidity,  and  exclaimed  that  God 
indeed  was  on  their  side,   for   that  by  man  alon< 


422  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

these  impregnable  towers  could  never  have  been 
taken. 

All  resistance  having  now  ceased,  the  Komans 
spread  themselves  through  the  city,  slaughtering 
all  whom  they  met  without  distinction  of  age  or 
sex.  They  were,  however,  aghast  at  the  spectacle 
which  the  houses  into  which  they  burst  presented. 
Some  of  these  had  been  used  as  charnel-houses,  and 
had  been  filled  with  dead  bodies.  In  others  were 
found  the  remains  of  whole  families  who  with  their 
servants  had  shut  themselves  up  to  die  of  hunger. 
Everywhere  the  dead  far  outnumbered  the  living. 

The  next  day  Titus  issued  an  order  that  only  such 
as  possessed  arms  should  be  slain,  and  that  all 
others  should  be  taken  prisoners ;  but  the  Roman 
soldiers  were  too  infuriated  at  the  losses  and  de- 
feats they  had  suffered  even  to  obey  the  orders  of 
Titus,  and  all  save  the  able-bodied  who  would  be  of 
value  as  slaves  were  slaughtered.  A  vast  number 
of  those  fit  for  slaves  were  confined  in  the  charred 
remains  of  the  Women's  Court,  and  so  weakened 
were  these  by  the  ravages  of  famine  that  eleven 
thousand  of  them  are  said  to  have  perished. 

Of  the  survivors  some  were  selected  to  grace  the 
triumphal  procession  at  Rome ;  of  the  remainder, 
all  under  the  age  of  seventeen  were  sold  as  slaves ; 
a  part  of  those  above  that  age  were  distributed 
among  the  amphitheaters  of  Syria  to  fight  as 
gladiators  against  the  wild  beasts;  and  the  rest 
were  condemned  to  labor  in  the  public  works  in 
Egypt  for  the  rest  of  their  lives.     When  all  above 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  4!23 

the  surface  had  been  slain  or  made  prisoners,  the 
Komans  set  to  work  methodically  to  search  the 
conduits,  sewers,  and  passages  under  the  city. 
Multitudes  of  fugitives  were  found  here,  and  all 
were  slain  as  soon  as  discovered.  Then  the  army 
w'as  set  to  work  to  raze  the  city  to  the  ground. 
Every  building  and  wall  was  thrown  down,  the 
only  exception  being  a  great  barrack  adjoining 
Herod's  Palace,  which  was  left  for  the  use  of  one 
of  the  legions  which  was  to  be  quartered  there  for 
a  time,  and  the  three  great  towers,  Hippicus, 
Phasaelus,  and  Mariarane,  which  were  left  standing 
in  order  that  they  might  show  to  future  genera 
tions  how  vast  had  been  the  strength  of  the  forti- 
lications  which  Roman  valor  had  captured. 

John  of  Gischala  and  Simon  had  both  so  effect- 
ually concealed  themselves  that  for  a  time  they 
escaped  the  Roman  searchers.  At  the  end  of  some 
days,  however,  John  was  compelled  by  famine  to 
come  out  and  surrender.  Simon  was  much  longer 
before  he  made  his  appearance.  He  had  taken 
with  him  into  his  hiding-place  a  few  of  his  followers 
and  some  stone  masons  with  their  tools,  and  an 
effort  was  made  to  drive  a  mine  beyond  the  Roman 
outposts.  The  rock,  however,  was  hard  and  the 
men  enfeebled  by  famine,  and  the  consequence  was 
that  Simon,  like  his  fellow-leader,  was  compelled 
to  make  his  way  to  the  surface. 

The  spot  where  he  appeared  was  on  the  platform 
of  the  Temple  far  from  the  shaft  b}'-  which  he  had 
entered  the  underground  galleries.     He  appeared  at 


iJJ4  POR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

night  clad  in  white,  and  the  Koman  guards  at  first 
took  him  for  a  specter,  and  he  thus  escaped  instant 
death  and  had  time  to  declare  who  he  was.  Titus 
had  already  left,  but  Terentius  Rufus,  who  com- 
manded the  Tenth  Legion,  which  had  been  left  be- 
hind, sent  Simon  in  chains  to  Titus  at  Cassarea,  and 
he  as  well  as  John  of  Gischala  were  taken  by  the 
latter  to  Rome  to  grace  his  triumph. 

"  It  is  strange,"  John  said  when  he  heard  the 
story,  "that  the  two  men  who  have  brought  all 
these  woes  upon  Jerusalem  should  have  both 
escaped  with  their  lives.  The  innocent  have  fallen 
and  the  guilty  escaped,  yet  not  escaped,  for  it  would 
have  been  better  for  them  to  have  died  fighting  in 
the  court  of  the  Temple  than  to  live  as  slaves  in  the 
hands  of  the  Romans." 

A  month  later  John  learned  the  fate  that  had  be- 
fallen the  two  Jewish  leaders.  Both  were  dragged 
in  the  triumphal  procession  of  Titus  through  the 
streets  of  Rome ;  then,  according  to  the  cruel 
Roman  custom,  Simon  was  first  scourged  and  then 
executed  as  the  bravest  of  the  enemies  of  Rome, 
while  John  of  Gischala  was  sentenced  to  imprison- 
ment for  life. 

The  day  after  the  news  of  the  return  to  Rome 
and  triumph  of  Titus  arrived  John  asked  Philo  to 
tell  Tibellus  that  he  prayed  that  he  would  hear  him, 
as  he  wished  to  speak  to  him  on  a  subject  connected 
with  Titus. 

Wondering  what  his  Jewish  slave  could  have  to 
say  about  the  son  of  the  emperor,  Tibellus  upon 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  435 

hearing  from  Philo  of  the  request  at  once  ordered 
John  to  be  brought  to  him. 

"  Let  me  bring  my  companion  also  with  me," 
John  said  to  Philo.  "  He  is  my  adopted  brother, 
and  can  bear  evidence  to  the  truth  of  my  state- 
ments." 

When  they  reached  the  colonnade  Philo  told 
them  to  stop  there,  and  a  minute  later  Tibellus 
came  out. 

"  Philo  tells  me  that  you  have  something  to  say 
to  me  concerning  Titus." 

"  I  have,  my  lord,"  John  said,  and  he  advanced 
and  held  out  the  ring. 

The"  Roman  took  it  and  examined  it. 

"  It  is  a  signet-ring  of  Titus  !"  he  said  in  surprise. 
"  How  came  you  by  this  ?  This  is  a  grave  matter, 
slave ;  and  if  you  cannot  account  satisfactoril}'  as 
to  how  you  came  possessed  of  this  signet,  you  had 
better  have  thrown  yourself  into  the  sea,  or 
swallowed  poison,  than  have  spoken  of  your  posses- 
sion of  this  signet." 

"  It  was  given  to  me  by  Titus  himself,"  John 
said. 

The  Roman  made  a  gesture  of  anger. 

"It  is  ill  jesting  with  the  name  of  Caesar,"  he 
said  sternly.  "  This  is  Caesar's  ring.  Doubtless  it 
was  stolen  from  him.  You  may  have  taken  it  from 
the  robber  by  force  or  fraud,  or  as  a  gift,  I  know 
not  which,  but  do  not  mock  me  with  such  a  tale  as 
that  Caesar  gave  one  of  his  signets  to  you,  a  Jew." 

"It  is  as  I  said,  "  John   replied  calmly.     "Titus 


426  POB  THE  TEMPLE. 

himself  bestowed  that  ring  upon  me,  and  said  that 
if  I  desired  to  come  to  him  at  any  time  and  showed 
it  to  a  Roman  it  would  open  all  doors  and  bring  me 
to  his  presence." 

"  You  do  not  speak  as  if  3'^ou  were  mad,  "  Tibellus 
said,  "  and  yet  your  tale  is  not  credible.  Are  you 
weary  of  life,  Jew  ?  do  you  long  to  die  by  torture  ? 
Philo  has  spoken  well  to  me  of  you  and  your  young 
companion.  You  have  labored  well  and  cheerfully, 
he  tells  rae,  and  are  skilled  at  your  work.  Do  you 
find  your  lot  so  hard  that  you  would  die  to  escape 
it,  and  so  tell  me  this  impossible  story  ?  for  death, 
and  a  horrible  death,  will  assuredly  be  your  por- 
tion. If  you  persist  in  this  tale,  and,  showing  me 
this  ring,  say,  I  demand  that  you  send  me  and  my 
companion  to  Titus,  I  should  be  bound  to  do  so,  and 
then  torture  and  death  will  be  your  portion  for 
mocking  the  name  of  Caesar." 

"My  lord,"  John  said  calmly,  "I  repeat  that  I 
mock  not  the  name  of  Csesar,  and  that  what  I  have 
told  you  is  true.  1  am  not  weary  of  life  or  discontent- 
ed with  my  station.  I  have  been  kindly  treated  by 
Philo,  and  work  no  harder  than  I  should  work  at 
my  father's  farm  in  Galilee  ;  bat  I  naturally  long 
to  return  home,  I  have  abstained  from  showing 
you  this  ring  before,  because  Titus  had  not  as  yet 
conquered  Jerusalem  ;  but  now  that  I  hear  he  has 
been  received  in  triumph  in  Rome  he  would  have 
time  to  give  me  an  audience,  and  therefore  I  pray 
that  I  may  be  sent  to  him." 

"But  how  is   it   possible    that  Titus  could   have 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  ^7 

given  you  this  ring  V  Tibellus  asked,  impressed  by 
the  calmness  of  John's  manner,  and  yet  still  unable 
to  believe  a  statement  which  appeared  to  him  alto- 
gether incredible. 

"  I  will  tell  you,  my  lord,  but  I  will  tell  you  alone ; 
for  although  Titus  made  no  secret  of  it  at  the  time, 
he  might  not  care  for  the  storv  to  be  generally 
told." 

Tibellus  waved  his  hand  to  Philo,  who  at  once 
withdrew. 

"  You  have  found  it  hard  to  believe  what  I  have 
told  you,  my  lord,"  John  went  on.  "  You  will  find 
it  harder  still  to  believe  what  I  now  tell  you ;  but 
if  it  is  your  command,  I  am  bound  to  do  so." 

"  It  is  my  command,"  Tibellus  said  shortly.  "I 
would  fain  know  the  whole  of  this  monstrous  tale." 

"  I  must  first  tell  you,  my  lord,  that  though  as 
yet  but  twenty-one  years  old,  I  have  for  four  years 
fought  with  my  countrymen  against  the  Romans. 
You  see,"  he  said,  pointing  to  the  scars  on  his  head, 
arms,  and  body,  "  I  have  been  wounded  often,  and, 
as  you  may  see  for  yourself,  some  of  these  scars  are 
yet  unhealed,  others  are  so  old  that  you  can  scarce 
see  their  traces.  This  is  a  proof  of  so  much  at  least 
of  my  story.  My  companion  here  and  I  were,  by 
the  protection  of  our  God,  enabled  to  escape  from 
Jotapata  when  all  else  save  Josephus  perished  there. 
This  was  regarded  by  my  countrymen  as  well-nigh 
a  miracle,  and  as  a  proof  that  I  had  divine  favor. 
In  consequence  a  number  of  young  men,  when  they 
took  up  arms,  elected  me  as  their  leader,  and  for 


428  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

three  j^ears  we  did  what  we  could  to  oppose  the 
progress  of  the  Roman  arms.  It  was  as  if  a  fly 
should  try  to  stop  a  camel.  Still  we  did  what  we 
could,  and  any  of  the  Roman  officers  who  served 
under  Titus  would  tell  you  that  of  those  who  o]> 
posed  them  in  the  field  there  was  no  more  active 
partisan  than  the  leader,  who  was  generally  known 
as  John  of  Gamala." 

"  You  John  .of  Garaala !"  Tibellus  exclaimed. 
"In  frequent  letters  from  my  friends  with  the  army 
I  have  read  thatname,and  heard  how  incessant  was 
the  watchfulness  required  to  resist  his  attacks,  and 
how  often  small  garrisons  and  parties  vYcre  cut  off 
by  him.  It  was  he,  too,  who  burned  Vespasian's 
camp  before  Gamala  ;  and  you  tell  me,  young  man, 
that  you  "are  that  Jewish  hero,  for  hero  he  was, 
though  it  was  against  Rome  he  fought  ?" 

"  I  tell  you  so,  my  lord  ;  and  my  adopted  brother 
here,  who  was  with  me  through  these  campaigns, 
will  confirm  what  I  sa}'^.  I  say  it  not  boastingly, 
for  my  leadership  was  due  to  no  special  bravery  on 
my  part,  but  simply  because  the  young  men  of  the 
band  thought  that  God  had  specially  chosen  me  to 
lead  them." 

"  And  now  about  Titus,"  Tibellus  said  briefly, 
more  and  more  convinced  that  his  slave  was  auda- 
ciously inventing  this  story. 

"  Once  near  Hebron,"  John  said,  "  I  was  passing 
through  a  valley  alone,  when  Titus,  who  was  riding 
from  Carmelia  in  obedience  to  a  summons  from 
Vespasian,  who  was  at  Hebron,  came  upon  me.  He 
Attacked  me  and  we  fought ^" 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  439 

"  You  and  Titus  hand  to  hand  ?"  Tibellus  asked, 
with  a  short  laugh. 

"  Titus  and  I  hand  to  hand,"  John  repeated 
quietly ;  "  he  had  wounded  rae  twice,  when  1  sprang 
within  his  guard  and  closed  with  hira.  His  foot 
slipped  and  he  fell ;  for  a  moment  I  could  have  slain 
him  if  I  would,  but  1  did  not ;  then  I  fainted  from 
loss  of  blood.  Titus  was  shortly  joined  by  some  of 
his  men,  and  he  had  me  carried  down  to  his  camp, 
where  I  was  kindly  nursed  for  a  week,  he  himself 
visiting  me  several  times.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
he  dismissed  me,  giving  rae  his  signet-ring,  and  tell- 
ing me  that  if  ever  again  I  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  Romans  and  wished  to  see  him,  I  had  but  to 
show  the  ring  to  a  Roman  and  that  he  would  send 
me  to  him." 

"  And  to  him  you  shall  go,"  Tibellus  said  sternly  ; 
"  and  better  would  it  have  been  that  you  had  never 
been  born  than  that  I  should  send  you  to  him  with 
such  a  tale  as  this." 

So  saying  he  turned  away,  while  John  and  his 
companion  returned  to  their  work.  The  Roman 
officer  was  absolutely  incredulous  as  to  the  story  he 
had  heard,  and  indignant  in  the  extreme  at  what  he 
considered  the  audacity  of  the  falsehood.  Still  he 
could  not  but  be  struck  by  the  calmness  with  which 
John  told  the  story,  nor  could  he  see  what  motive 
he  could  have  in  inventing  it.  Its  falsity  would  of 
course  be  made  apparent  the  instant  he  arrived  in 
Rome,  whereas  had  he  said,  as  was  doubtless  the 
truth,  that  he  had  obtained  the  ring  from  one  who 


430  -P'OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

had  stolen  it  from  Titus,  he  might  have  obtained 
his  freedom  and  a  reward  for  its  restoration. 

After  thinking  the  matter  over  for  a  time  he  or- 
dered his  horse  and  rode  into  the  city.  One  of  the 
legions  from  Palestine  had  returned  there,  while 
two  had  accompanied  Titus  to  Rome,  and  a  fourth 
had  remained  in  Judea.  Tibellus  rode  at  once  to 
the  headquarters  of  the  commander  of  the  legion. 
He  had  just  returned  with  some  of  his  officers  from 
a  parade  of  the  troops.  They  had  taken  off  their 
armor,  and  a  slave  was  pouring  wine  into  goblets 
for  them. 

"  Ah,  Tibellus  !"  he  said,  "  is  it  you  ?  Drink,  my 
friend,  and  tell  us  what  ails  you,  for  in  truth  you 
look  angered  and  hot." 

"I  have  been  angered  by  one  of  my  slaves," 
Tibellus  said. 

"  Then  there  is  no  trouble  in  that,"  the  Roman 
said  with  a  smile  ;  "  throw  him  to  the  fishes  and 
buy  another  ;  they  are  cheap  enough,  for  we  have 
flooded  the  world  with  slaves,  and  as  we  know  to 
our  cost  they  are  scarce  salable.  We  have  brought 
two  or  three  thousand  with  us  and  can  get  no  bid 
for  them." 

"Yes,  but  this  matter  can't  be  settled  so,"  Tibel- 
lus said  ;  "  but  first  I  want  to  ask  you  a  question  or 
two.  You  heard,  of  course,  of  John  of  Gamala  in 
your  wars  in  Judea  ?" 

There  was  a  chorus  of  assent. 

"  That  did  we,  indeed,  to  our  cost,"  the  general 
said ;  "  save  the  two  leaders  in  Jerusalem  he  was 


'     FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  431 

the  most  dangerous,  and  was  by  far  the  most  trouble- 
some of  our  foes.  Many  a  score  of  sleepless  nights 
has  that  fellow  caused  us ;  from  the  time  he  well- 
nigh  burned  all  our  camp  before  Gamala,  he  was  a 
thorn  in  our  side.  One  never  knew  where  he  was 
or  when  to  expect  him.  One  day  we  heard  of  him 
attacking  a  garrison  at  the  other  end  of  the  country, 
and  the  next  night  he  would  fall  upon  our  camp. 
We  never  marched  through  a  ravine  without  expect- 
ing to  see  him  and  his  men  appearing  on  the  hills 
and  sending  the  rocks  thundering  down  among  us ; 
and  the  worst  of  it  was,  do  what  we  would  we  could 
never  get  to  close  quarters  with  him.  His  men  could 
march  three  miles  to  our  one ;  and  as  for  our  Arabs, 
if  we  sent  them  in  pursuit  they  would  soon  come 
flying  back  to  us,  leaving  a  goodly  portion  of  their 
numbers  dead  behind  them.  He  was  the  most 
formidable  enemy  we  had  outside  Jerusalem,  and 
had  all  the  Jews  fought  as  he  did,  instead  of  shut- 
ting themselves  up  in  their  walled  towns,  we  might 
have  been  years  before  we  subdued  that  pestilent 
country." 

"  Did  you  ever  see  this  John  of  Gamala  ?  Do  you 
know  what  he  was  like  personally  ?  Was  he  another 
giant  like  this  Simon  who  was  executed  at  the 
triumph  the  other  day  ?" 

"  None  of  us  ever  saw  him,  that  is,  to  know  which 
was  he,  though  doubtless  we  ma}'^  have  seen  him  in 
the  fights  ;  but  all  the  country  people  we  questioned, 
and  such  wounded  men  as  fell  into  our  hands,  for 
we  never  once  captured  one  of  his  band  unharmed, 


432  F'OR  THE  TEMPLE.       - 

all  asserted  that  he  was  little  more  than  a  lad.  He 
was  strong  and  skillful  in  arms,  but  in  years  a  youth. 
They  all  believed  that  he  was  a  sort  of  prophet,  one 
who  had  a  mission  from  their  God.  But  why  are 
3^ou  asking  ?" 

"  I  will  tell  you  presently,"  Tibellus  said ;  "  but 
first  answer  me  another  question.  Was  it  not  your 
legion  that  was  at  Carmelia  with  Titus  when  Ves- 
pasian lay  at  Hebron  ?" 

There  was  a  general  assent. 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  of  a  wounded  Jew  being 
brought  in  and  tended  there  by  order  of  Titus  ?" 

"  We  did,"  the  general  said  ;  "  and  here  is  Plancus, 
who  was  in  command  of  that  part  of  the  horse  of 
the  legion  which  formed  the  body-guard  of  Titus, 
and  who  brought  him  into  the  camp ;  he  will  tell 
you  about  it." 

"Titus  had  received  a  message  from  Vespasian 
that  he  wished  to  see  him,"  the  officer  signified  by 
the  general  said,  "  and  rode  off  at  once,  telling  us  to 
follow  hira.  We  armed  and  mounted  as  soon  as  we 
could,  but  Titus  was  well  mounted  and  had  a  con- 
siderable start.  We  came  up  to  him  in  a  valley. 
— he  was  standing  by  the  side  of  his  dead  horse.  He 
was  slightly  wounded,  and  his  dirtied  armor 
showed  that  he  had  had  a  sharp  fight.  Close  by  lay 
a  Jew  who  seemed  to  be  dead.  Titus  ordered  him 
to  be  carried  back  to  the  camp  and  cared  for  by  his 
own  leech.     That  is  all  I  know  about  it." 

"  I  can  tell  you  more,"  the  general  said,  "  for 
Titr.s  himself  told  me  that  he  had  had  a  desperate 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  433 

fight  with  the  Jew,  that  he  had  wounded  him 
severely,  and  was  on  the  point  of  finishing  him  when 
the  ♦^ew  sprang  at  him  suddenly,  and  the  sudden 
shock  threw  him  to  the  ground,  and  that,  strange  as 
it  might  seem,  although  knowing  who  he  was,  the 
Jew  spared  his  life.  It  was  a  strange  story,  and 
any  one  besides  Titus  would  have  kept  it  to  himself, 
and  run  his  sword  through  the  body  of  the  Jew  to 
make  sure  of  his  silence  ;  but  Titus  has  notions  of 
his  own,  and  he  is  as  generous  as  he  is  brave.  By 
what  he  said  I  gathered  that  the  Jew  abstained 
from  striking,  believing,  as  was  truly  the  case,  that 
Titus  was  more  merciful  than  Yespasian,  and  that 
he  would  spare  Jerusalem  and  their  Temple  if  he 
could.     And  now,  why  all  these  questions  ?" 

"  One  more  on  my  part  first :  what  became  of  the 
Jew,  and  what  was  he  like  ?" 

"  That  is  two  questions,"  the  general  replied ; 
"however,  I  will  answer  them.  Titus  let  him  go 
free  when  he  was  recovered  from  his  wounds.  He 
was  a  young  man  of  some  twenty  years  old." 

"  And  do  you  know  his  name  f 

"  I  know  his  name  was  John,  for  so  he  told  Titus, 
but  as  every  other  Jew  one  comes  across  is  John 
that  does  not  tell  much." 

"  I  can  tell  you  his  other  name,"  Tibellus  said. 
"  It  was  John  of  Gamala." 

An  exclamation  of  astonishment  broke  from  the 
officers. 

"  So  that  was  John  of  Gamala  himself !"  the 
general  said.     "  None  of  us  ever  dreamed  of  it,  and 


434  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

yet  it  might  well  have  been,  for,  now  I  think  of  it, 
the  young  fellow  I  saw  lying  wounded  in  the  tent 
next  to  that  of  Titus  answered  exactly  to  the  de- 
scription we  have  heard  of  him,  and  the  fact  that  he 
overcame  Titus  in  itself  shows  that  he  had  unusual 
strength  and  bravery.  But  how  do  you  know  about 
this  ?" 

"  Simply  because  John  of  Gamala  is  at  present 
working  as  a  slave  in  my  garden." 

"  You  do  not  say  so  !"  the  general  exclaimed. 
''"We  have  often  wondered  what  became  of  him. 
"We  learned  from  the  deserters  that  he  had  entered 
into  Jerusalem  and  was  jBghting  there  against  us. 
They  all  agreed  that  the  men  he  had  brought  with 
him  took  no  part  in  the  atrocities  of  the  soldiers  of 
Simon  and  John  of  Gischala,  but  that  they  kept 
together  and  lived  quietly  and  harmed  no  man. 
It  was  they,  we  heard,  who  did  the  chief  part  in 
the  three  days'  iSghting  at  the  breach  of  the  lower 
town  ;  but  we  never  heard  what  became  of  him,  and 
supposed  that  he  must  have  fallen  in  the  fighting 
round  the  Temple.  And  so  he  is  your  slave,  Tibel- 
lus !  How  did  you  know  it  was  he,  and  what  are 
you  going  to  do  ?  The  war  is  over  now,  and  there 
has  been  bloodshed  enough,  and  after  all  he  was  a 
gallant  enemy,  who  fought  us  fairly  and  well." 

"  He  told  me  himself  who  he  was,"  Tibellus  said; 
"  but  I  believed  that  he  was  lying  to  me.  I  had 
heard  often  of  John  of  Gamala,  and  deemed  that 
he  was  a  brave  and  skillful  warrior,  and  it  seemed 
impossible  that  young  man  could   be   he.     As   to 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  435 

what  I  am  going  to  do  with  hira,  I  have  nothing 
to  do  but  what  he  has  himself  demanded,  namely, 
to  be  sent  to  Titus.  He  produced  the  signet-ring  of 
CaBsar,  said  that  it  was  given  to  hira  by  the  general 
himself,  and  that  he  told  him  that  if  he  presented  it 
to  a  Roman  at  any  time  he  would  lead  him  to  his 
presence.  I  believed  that  he  had  stolen  the  ring, 
or  had  got  it  from  somebody  that  had  stolen  it ; 
and  he  then  told  me  of  the  story  very  much  as  you 
have  told  it,  save  that  he  said  that  when  he  was 
well-nigh  conquered  by  Titus,  and  sprang  upon  him, 
Caesar's  foot  slipped,  and  he  fell,  hinting  that  his 
success  was  the  result  of  accident  rather  than  his 
own  effort.  He  spoke  by  no  means  boastingly  of 
it,  but  as  if  it  was  the  most  natural  thing  in  the 
world." 

"  There  he  showed  discretion  and  wisdom,"  the 
general  said ;  "  but  truly  this  is  a  marvelous  story. 
If  he  had  not  appealed  to  CaBsar,  I  should  have  said. 
Give  him  his  freedom.  You  can  buy  a  new  slave 
for  a  few  sesterces.  This  young  fellow  is  too  good 
to  be  a  slave,  and  now  that  Judea  is  hnally  crushed 
he  could  never  become  dangerous ;  but  as  he  has 
demanded  to  be  sent  to  Caesar,  you  must,  of  course, 
send  him  there  ;  besides,  with  the  ideas  that  Titus 
has,  he  may  be  really  glad  to  see  the  youth  again. 
But  we  shall  like  to  see  him  also.  We  all  honor  a 
brave  adversary,  and  I  should  like  to  see  him  who 
so  long  set  us  at  defiance." 

"  I  will  bring  him  down  to-morrow  at  this  hour," 
Tibellus  said,  and  then,  taking  leave  of  the  officers, 
he  mounted  and  rode  back. 


486  POB  THE  TEMPLE. 

On  reaching  home  he  at  once  sent  for  John.  "  I 
doubted  your  story  when  you  told  it  to  me,"  he 
said,  "and  deemed  it  impossible;  but  I  have  been 
down  to  the  officers  of  the  legion  which  arrived 
last  week  from  Judea.  It  chances  to  be  the  very 
one  which  was  at  Carraelia  when  Vespasian  lay  at 
Hebron,  and  I  find  that  your  story  is  fully  con- 
firmed ;  although,  indeed,  they  did  not  know  that 
the  wounded  man  Titus  sent  in  was  John  of 
Gamala ;  but  as  they  admit  that  he  answered 
exactly  to  the  description  which  they  have  heard  of 
that  leader,  they  doubt  not  that  it  was  he.  How- 
ever, be  assured  that  your  request  is  granted,  and 
that  you  shall  be  sent  to  Kome  by  the  next  ship 
that  goes  thither." 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  437 


OHAPTEK  XIX. 

AT   ROME. 

T1BELLU8  at  once  ordered  John  to  be  released 
from  all  further  work,  the  badge  of  slavery  to  be 
removed,  and  that  he  should  be  supplied  with  hand- 
some garments,  removed  into  the  house,  and  as- 
signed an  apartment  with  the  freedmen.  The 
bearer  of  the  signet  of  Titus,  now  that  it  was 
ascertained  that  the  signet  had  been  really  given  to 
him  by  Cassar,  was  an  important  person,  and  was  to 
be  received  with  consideration  if  not  honor.  When 
these  changes  had  been  made,  John  was  again 
brought  before  Tibellus. 

"Is  there  anything  else  that  I  can  do  for  your 
comfort  as  one  who  has  been  honored  by  Titus  him- 
self, our  future  emperor  ?  You  have  but  to  express 
your  wishes  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  carry  them 
out." 

"  I  would  ask,  then,"  John  said,  *'  that  my  friend 
and  companion  may  be  set  free  and  allowed  to  ac- 
company me  to  Rome.  He  is  my  adopted  brother. 
He  has  fought  and  slept  by  my  side  for  the  last 
four  years,  and  your  bounty  to  me  gives  me  no 
pleasure  so  long  as  he  is  laboring  as  a  slave." 


438  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

Tibellus  at  once  sent  for  Philo,  and  ordered  the 
collar  to  be  filed  from  the  neck  of  Jonas,  and  for 
him  to  be  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  John. 

The  next  day  Tibellus  invited  John  to  accompany 
him  to  the  barracks,  and  as  he  would  take  no  ex- 
cuses he  was  obliged  to  dp  so. 

Tibellus  presented  him  to  the  general  and  his 
oflScers,  who  received  him  very  cordially,  and  were 
much  struck  with  his  quiet  demeanor  and  the 
nobility  of  his  bearing.  John  had  for  four  years 
been  accustomed  to  command,  and  the  belief  enter- 
tained by  his  followers  in  his  special  mission  had 
had  its  effect  upon  his  manner.  Although  simple 
and  unassuming  in  mind,  and  always  ready  on  his 
return  to  the  farm  to  become  again  the  simple 
worker  upon  his  father's  farm,  he  had  yet  insensibly 
acquired  the  bearing  of  one  born  to  position  and 
authority.  He  was  much  above  the  ordinary 
height ;  and  although  his  figure  was  slight,  it 
showed  signs,  which  could  well  be  appreciated  by 
the  Romans,  of  great  activity  and  unusual  strength. 
His  face  was  handsome,  his  forehead  lofty,  his  eyes 
large  and  soft,  and  in  the  extreme  firmness  of  his 
mouth  and  his  square  chin  and  jaw  were  there  alone 
signs  of  the  determination  and  steadfastness  which 
had  made  him  so  formidable  a  foe  to  the  Romans. 

"  So  you  are  John  of  Gamala!"  the  general  said. 
"  We  have  doubtless  nearly  crossed  swords  more 
than  once.  You  have  caused  us  many  a  sleepless 
night,  and  it  seemed  to  us  that  you  and  your  bands 
were  ubiquitous.     I  am  glad  to  meet  you,  as  are  we 


FOR  TEE  TEMPLE.  439 

all.  A  Roman  cherishes  no  malice  against  an  hon 
orable  foe,  and  such  we  always  found  you,  and  1 
trust  you  have  no  malice  for  the  past." 

"  None,"  John  said.  "  I  regard  you  as  the  in- 
struments of  God  for  the  punishment  of  my  people. 
We  brought  our  misfortunes  upon  ourselves  by  the 
rebellion,  which  would  have  seemed  madness  had  it 
not  doubtless  been  the  will  of  God  that  we  should 
so  provoke  you  and  perish.  All  I  ask  now  is  to  re- 
turn to  my  father's  farm  and  to  resume  my  life 
there.  If  I  could  do  that  without  going  to  Rome  1 
would  gladly  do  so." 

"  That  can  hardly  be,"  Tibellus  said.  "  The  rule 
is  that  when  one  appeals  to  Caesar,  to  Csesar  he 
must  go.  The  case  is  at  once  taken  out  of  our 
hands.  Besides,  I  should  have  to  report  the  fact  to 
Rome,  and  Titus  may  wish  to  see  you,  and  might 
be  ill-pleased  at  hearing  that  you  had  returned  to 
Galilee  without  going  to  see  him.  Besides,  it  may 
be  some  time  before  all  animosity  between  the  two 
peoples  dies  out  there,  and  you  might  obtain  from 
him  an  imperial  order  which  would  prove  a  protec- 
tion to  yourself  and  family  against  any  who  might 
desire  to  molest  you.  If  for  this  reason  alone  it 
would  be  well  worth  your  while  for  you  to  pro- 
ceed to  Rome." 

Three  days  later  Tibellus  told  John  that  a  ship 
would  sail  next  morning,  and  that  a  centurion  in 
charge  of  some  invalided  soldiers  would  go  in  her. 

"  I  have  arranged  for  you  to  go  in  his  charge, 
and  have  instructed  him  to  accompany  you  to  the 


440  ^OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

palace  of  Titus  and  facilitate  your  having  an  inter- 
view with  him.  I  have  given  hira  a  letter  to  pre- 
sent to  Titus  with  greetings,  saying  why  I  have  sent 
you  to  him.  Here  is  a  purse  of  money  to  pay  for 
what  you  may  require  on  the  voyage,  and  to  keep 
you,  if  need  be,  at  Rome  until  \'0u  can  see  Titus, 
who  may  possibly  be  absent.  You  owe  me  no 
thanks,"  he  said  as  John  was  about  to  speak. 
"  Titus  would  be  justly  offended  were  the  bearer  of 
his  signet-ring  sent  to  him  without  due  care  and 
honor." 

That  evening  Tibellus  gave  a  banquet,  at  which 
the  general  and  several  oflBcers  were  present.  The 
total  number  present  was  nine,  including  John  and 
the  host,  this  being  the  favorite  number  for  what 
they  regarded  as  small  private  entertainments.  At 
large  banquets  hundreds  of  persons  were  frequently 
entertained.  After  the  meal  John,  at  the  request 
of  Tibellus,  related  to  the  oflBcers  the  manner  of  his 
escapes  from  Jotapata  and  Jerusalem,  and  several 
of  the  incidents  of  the  struggle  in  which  he  had 
taken  part. 

The  next  morning  he  and  Jonas  took  their  places 
on  board  the  ship  and  sailed  for  Rome. 

It  was  now  far  in  November,  and  the  passage  was 
a  boisterous  one,  and  the  size  of  the  waves  aston- 
ished John,  accustomed  as  he  was  only  to  the  short 
choppy  seas  of  the  Lake  of  Galilee.  Jonas  made 
up  his  mind  that  they  were  lost,  and  indeed  for 
some  days  the  vessel  was  in  imminent  danger.  In- 
stead of  passing  through  the  straits  between  Sicily 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  44I 

and  the  mainland  of  Italy,  they  were  blown  far  to 
the  west,  and  finally  took  shelter  in  the  harbor  of 
Caralis  in  Sardinia.  Here  they  remained  for  a 
week  to  refit  and  repair  damages,  and  then  sailed 
across  to  Portus  Augusti  and  then  up  the  Tiber. 

The  centurion  had  done  his  best  to  make  the 
voyage  a  pleasant  one  to  John  and  his  companion. 
Having  been  informed  that  the  former  was  the 
bearer  of  a  signet-ring  of  Titus,  and  would  have  an 
audience  with  him,  he  was  anxious  to  create  as  good 
an  impression  as  possible;  but  it  was  not  until 
Caralis  was  reached  that  John  recovered  sufficiently 
from  sea-sickness  to  take  much  interest  in  what 
was  passing  round  him.  The  travelers  wers 
greatly  struck  with  the  quantity  of  shipping  enter- 
ing and  leaving  the  mouth  of  the  Tiber,  the  sea 
being  dotted  with  the  sails  of  the  vessels  bearing 
corn  from  Sardinia,  Sicily,  and  Africa,  and  products 
of  all  kinds  from  every  port  in  the  world. 

The  sight  of  Rome  impressed  him  less  than  he 
had  expected.  Of  its  vastness  he  could  form  no 
opinion ;  but  in  strength  and  beauty  it  appeared  to 
him  inferior  to  Jerusalem.  When  he  landed  he  saw 
how  many  were  the  stately  palaces  and  temples ; 
but  of  the  former  none  were  more  magnificent  than 
that  of  Herod.  Nor  was  there  one  of  the  temples 
to  be  compared  for  a  moment  with  that  which  had 
so  lately  stood,  the  wonder  and  admiration  of  the 
world,  upon  Mount  Moriah, 

The  centurion  procured  a  commodious  lodging  for 
him,  and  finding  that  Titus  was  still  in  Rome  accom- 


442  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

panied  him  the  next  day  to  the  palace.  Upon  say- 
ing that  he  was  the  bearer  of  a  letter  to  Titus  the 
centurion  vvas  shown  into  the  inner  apartments, 
John  being  left  in  the  great  antechamber,  which 
was  crowded  with  officers  waiting  to  see  Titus  when 
he  came  out,  to  receive  orders,  pay  their  respects, 
or  present  petitions  to  him.  The  centurion  soon 
returned  and  told  John  to  follow  him. 

"  Titus  was  very  pleased,"  he  whispered,  "  when 
he  read  the  letter  I  brought  him,  and  begged  me 
bring  you  at  once  to  his  presence." 

Titus  was  alone  in  a  small  chamber,  whose  sim- 
plicity contrasted  strangely  with  the  magnificence 
of  those  through  which  he  had  passed.  He  rose 
from  a  table  at  which  he  had  been  writing. 

"  Ah,  my  good  friend,"  he  said,  "  I  am  truly  glad 
to  see  you!  I  made  sure  that  you  were  dead.  You 
were  not  among  those  who  came  out  and  gave 
themselves  up,  or  among  those  who  were  captured 
when  the  city  was  taken,  for  I  had  careful  inquiry 
made,  thinking  it  possible  that  you  might  have  lost 
my  ring,  and  been  unable  to  obtain  access  to  me ; 
then  at  last  I  made  sure  that  you  had  fallen.  I  am 
truly  glad  to  see  that  it  is  not  so." 

"  I  was  marvelously  preserved  then,  as  at  Jota- 
pata,"  John  said,  "and  escaped,  after  the  Temple 
had  fallen,  by  a  secret  passage  leading  out  beyond 
the  wall  of  circumvallation.  As  I  made  ray  way 
home  I  fell  into  the  hands  of  some  slave  dealers, 
who  seized  me  and  my  companion,  who  is  my 
adopted  brother,  and  carried  us  away  to  Alexandria, 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  443 

where  I  was  sold.  As  you  had  not  yet  returned 
to  Rome,  I  thought  it  better  not  to  produce 
your  signet,  which  I  had  fortunately  managed  to 
conceal. 

"  When  I  heard  that  you  had  reached  Rome,  and 
had  received  your  triumph,  I  produced  the  ring  to 
my  master  Tibellus,  and  prayed  him  to  send  me 
and  my  companion  here  to  you,  in  order  that  I 
might  ask  for  liberty  and  leave  to  return  to  my 
home.  He  treated  me  with  the  greatest  kindness, 
and  but  that  I  had  appealed  to  you  would  of  him- 
self have  set  us  free.  It  is  for  this  alone  that  I  have 
come  here,  to  ask  you  to  confirm  the  freedom  he 
has  given  me,  and  to  permit  me  to  return  to  Gali- 
lee. Further,  if  you  will  give  me  your  order  that  I 
and  mine  may  live  peacefully  without  molestation 
from  any,  it  would  add  to  your  favors." 

"  I  will  do  these  certainly,"  Titus  said,  "and  far 
more,  if  you  will  let  me.  I  shall  never  forget  that 
you  saved  my  life ;  and  believe  me  I  did  my  best  to 
save  the  Temple,  which  was  what  I  promised  you. 
I  did  not  say  that  I  would  save  it,  merely  that  1 
would  do  my  best;  but  your  obstinate  countrymen 
insisted  in  bringing  destruction  upon  it." 

"  I  know  that  you  did  all  that  was  possible," 
John  said,  "  and  that  the  blame  lies  with  them,  and 
not  with  you  in  any  way.  However,  it  was  the 
will  of  God  that  it  should  be  destroyed,  and  they 
were  the  instruments  of  his  will,  while  they  thought 
they  were  trying  to  preserve  it." 

"But  now,"  Titus  said,  "you  must  let  me  do 


444  P'OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

more  for  you.  Have  you  ambition  ?  I  will  push 
you  forward  to  high  position  and  dignity.  Do  you 
care  for  wealth  ?  I  have  the  treasures  of  Rome  in 
my  gift.  Would  you  serve  in  the  army  ?  Many  of 
the  Alexandrian  Jews  had  high  rank  in  the  array 
of  Anthony.  Two  of  Cleopatra's  best  generals  were 
your  countrymen.  I  know  your  bravery  and  your 
military  talents,  and  will  gladly  push  you  forward." 

"  I  thank  you,  Caesar,  for  your  offers,"  John  said, 
"  which  far  exceed  my  deserts,  but  1  would  rather 
pass  my  life  as  a  tiller  of  the  soil  in  Galilee.  The 
very  name  of  a  Jew  at  present  is  hateful  in  the  ear 
of  a  Roman.  All  men  who  succeed  by  the  favor  of 
a  great  prince  are  hated.  I  should  be  still  more  so 
as  a  Jew.  I  should  be  hated  'by  my  own  country- 
men, as  well  as  yours,  for  they  would  regard  me  as 
a  traitor.  There  would  be  no  happiness  in  such  a 
life.  A  thousand  times  better  a  home  by  the  Lake 
of  Galilee  with  a  wife  and  children." 

"  If  such  be  your  determination  I  will  say  naught 
against  it,"  Titus  said ;  "  but  remember,  if  at  any 
time  j'^ou  tire  of  such  a  life,  come  to  me  and  I  will 
give  you  a  post  of  high  honor  and  dignity.  There 
are  glorious  opportunities  for  talent  and  upright- 
ness in  our  distant  dependencies — east  and  west — 
where  there  will  be  no  prejudices  against  the  name 
of  a  Jew.  However,  for  the  present  let  that  be. 
To-morrow  I  will  have  prepared  for  you  an  imperial 
order  to  all  Roman  officers,  civil  and  military,  of 
Galilee  and  Judea  to  treat  you  as  the  friend  of 
Titus  J  also  the  appointmen    as  procurator  of  the 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE,  445 

district  lying  north  of  the  river  Hieromax  up  to  the 
boundary  of  Chorazin,  for  a  distance  of  ten  miles 
back  from  the  lake. 

"  You  will  not  refuse  that  oflBce,  for  it  will  enable 
you  to  protect  your  country  people  from  oppression, 
and  to  bring  prosperity  upon  the  whole  district. 
Lastly,  you  will  receive  with  the  documents  a  sum 
of  money.  I  know  that  you  will  not  use  it  on  your- 
self, but  it  will  be  long  before  the  land  recovers 
from  its  wounds.  There  will  be  terrible  misery 
and  distress,  and  I  should  like  to  think  that  in  the 
district  at  least  of  my  friend  there  are  peace  and 
contentment.  Less  than  this  Caesar  cannot  give  to 
the  man  who  spared  his  life." 

John  thanked  Titus  most  heartily  for  his  favors, 
which  would,  he  saw,  insure  his  family  and  neigh- 
bors from  the  oppression  and  tyranny  to  which  a 
conquered  people  are  exposed  at  the  hands  of  a 
rough  soldiery.  Titus  ordered  an  apartment  to  be 
prepared  for  him  in  the  palace,  and  begged  him  to 
take  up  his  abode  there  until  a  vessel  should  be 
sailing  for  Caesarea.  Slaves  were  told  off  to  attend 
upon  him  and  to  escort  him  in  the  city,  and  everj'^- 
thing  was  done  to  show  the  esteem  and  friendship 
in  which  Titus  held  him.  Titus  had  several  inter- 
views with  him,  and  learned  now  for  the  first  time 
that  he  was  the  John  of  Gamala  who  had  so  long 
and  stoutly  opposed  the  Romans. 

"  If  I  had  known  that,"  Titus  said  with  a  smile, 
"  when  3'ou  were  in  ray  hands,  I  do  not  think  I 
should  have  let  you  go  free,  though  your  captivity 


446  FOB  THE  TEMPLE. 

would  have  been  an  honorable  one.  When  you  said 
that  you  would  not  promise  to  desist  from  opposing 
our  arms,  I  thought  that  one  man  more  or  less  in 
the  ranks  of  the  enemy  would  make  little  difference ; 
but  had  I  known  that  it  was  the  redoubtable  John 
of  Gamala  who  was  in  my  hands  I  should  hardly 
have  thought  myself  justified  in  letting  you  go 
free." 

John,  at  the  request  of  Titus,  gave  him  a  sketch 
of  the  incidents  of  his  life  and  of  the  campaign. 

"  So  you  have  already  a  lady-love,"  Titus  said 
when  he  had  finished.  "  What  shall  I  send  her  ? 
Better  nothing  at  present,"  he  said,  after  a  mo- 
ment's thought  and  a  smile,  "  beyond  yourself. 
That  will  be  the  best  and  most  acceptable  gift  I 
could  send  her.  Time  and  your  good  report  may 
soften  the  feelings  with  which  doubtless  she,  like  all 
the  rest  of  your  countrywomen,  must  regard  me  ; 
though  the  gods  know  1  would  gladly  have  spared 
Galilee  and  Judea  from  the  ruin  which  has  fallen 
upon  them." 

In  addition  to  the  two  documents  which  he  had 
promised  him,  Titus  thoughtfully  gave  him  another, 
intended  for  the  perusal  of  his  own  countrymen 
only.  It  was  in  the  form  of  a  letter,  saying  to 
John  that  he  had  appointed  him  procurator  of  the 
strip  of  territory  bordering  the  Lake  of  Galilee  on 
the  east,  not  from  any  submission  on  his  part,  still 
less  at  his  request,  but  solely  as  a  proof  of  his 
admiration  for  the  stubborn  and  determined  man- 
ner in  which  he  had   fought   throughout  the  war, 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  447 

the  absence  of  any  cruelty  practiced  upon  Romans 
who  fell  into  his  hands,  of  his  esteem  for  his 
character,  and  as  a  remembrance  of  the  occasion 
when  they  two  had  fought  hand  to  hand  alone  in 
the  valley  going  down  from  Hebron. 

The  gold  was  sent  directly  on  board  a  ship.  It 
was  in  a  box  which  required  four  strong  men  to 
lift.  A  centurion,  with  twenty  men,  was  put  on 
board  the  ship,  with  orders  to  land  with  John  at 
Caesarea,  and  to  escort  him  to  his  own  home,  or  as 
near  as  he  might  choose  to  take  them.  Titus  took 
a  cordial  leave  of  him,  and  expressed  a  hope  that 
John  would  some  day  change  his  mind  and  accept 
his  offer  of  a  post,  and  that  at  any  rate  he  hoped 
that  he  would  from  time  to  time  come  to  Eome  to 
see  him. 

The  voyage  to  Caesarea  was  performed  without 
accident. 

"  I  shall  look  back  at  our  visit  to  Rome  as  a 
dream,"  Jonas  said  one  evening  as  they  sat  together 
on  the  deck  of  the  ship.  "  To  think  that  I,  the 
goatherd  of  Jotapata,  should  have  been  living  in 
the  palace  of  Caesar  at  Rome,  with  you,  the  friend 
of  Titus  himself !  It  seems  marvelous ;  but  I  am 
weary  of  the  crowded  streets,  of  the  noise  and 
bustle,  and  wealth  and  color.  I  long  to  get  rid  of 
this  dress,  in  which  I  feel  as  if  I  were  acting  a  part 
in  a  play.     Do  not  you,  John  ?" 

"  I  do,  indeed,"  John  replied.  "  I  should  never 
accustom  myself  to  such  a  life  as  that.  I  am  long- 
ing for  a  sight  of  the  lake  and  my  dear  home,  and 


448  ^R  THE  TEMPLE. 

of  those  I  love,  who  must  be  mourning  for  me  as 
dead." 

At  Caesarea  a  vehicle  was  procured  for  the  car- 
riage of  the  chest,  and  the  party  then  journeyed 
until  they  were  within  sight  of  Tarichea.  John 
then  dismissed  his  escort  with  thanks  for  their 
attention  during  the  journey,  and  begged  them  to 
go  on  to  the  city  by  themselves.  When  they  were 
out  of  sight  he  and  Jonas  took  off  their  Roman 
garments,  and  put  on  others  they  had  purchased  at 
CaBsarea,  similar  to  those  they  were  accustomed  to 
wear  at  home.  Then  they  proceeded  Avith  the  cart 
and  its  driver  into  Tarichea,  and  hired  a  boat  to 
take  them  up  the  lake.  The  boatmen  were  as- 
tonished at  the  weight  of  'John's  chest,  and 
thought  that  it  must  contain  lead  for  making  into 
missiles  for  slingers.  It  was  evening  when  the  boat 
approached  the  well-known  spot,  and  John  and  his 
companion  sprang  out  on  the  beach. 

"What  shall  we  do  with  the  chest?"  one  of  the 
boatmen  asked. 

"  We  will  carry  it  to  that  clump  of  bushes,  and 
pitch  it  in  among  them  until  we  w^ant  it.  None 
will  run  off  with  it,  and  they  certainly  would  not 
find  it  easy  to  break  it  open." 

This  reply  confirmed  the  men  in  their  idea  that  it 
could  contain  nothing  of  value ;  and  after  helping 
John  and  Jonas  to  carry  the  chest  to  the  point 
indicated,  they  returned  to  their  boat  and  rowed 
away  down  the  lake. 

"Now,  Jonas,  we  must  be  careful,"  John  said, 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  449 

"  how  we  approach  the  house.  It  would  give  them 
a  terrible  shock  if  I  came  upon  them  suddenly.  I 
think  you  had  better  go  up  alone  and  see  Isaac,  and 
bring  him  to  me ;  then  we  can  talk  over  the  best 
way  of  breaking  it  to  the  others." 

It  was  nearly  an  hour  before  Jonas  brought 
Isaac  down  to  the  spot  where  John  was  standing,  a 
hundred  yards  away  from  the  house,  for  he  had  to 
wait  some  time  before  he  could  find  an  opportunity 
of  speaking  to  him.  Jonas  had  but  just  broken  the 
news  that  John  was  at  hand  when  they  reached  the 
spot  where  he  was  standing. 

"  Is  it  indeed  you,  my  dear  y^oung  master  ?"  the 
old  man  said,  falling  on  John's  neck.  "  This  is  un- 
locked for  joy  indeed.  The  Lord  be  praised  for  his 
mercies !  What  will  your  parents  say,  they  who 
have  wept  for  you  for  months  as  dead !" 

"They  are  well,  I  hope,  Isaac  ?" 

''  They  are  shaken,  greatly  shaken,"  old  Isaac 
said.  "  The  tempest  has  passed  over  them ;  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem,  the  woes  of  our  people,  and 
your  loss  have  smitten  them  to  the  ground  ;  but 
now  that  you  have  returned  it  will  give  them  new 
life." 

"  And  Mary,  she  is  well,  I  hope,  too  ?"  John 
asked. 

"  The  maiden  is  not  ill,  though  I  cannot  say  that 
she  is  well,"  Isaac  said.  "  Long  after  your  father 
and  mother  and  all  of  us  had  given  up  hope  she 
refused  to  believe  that  you  were  dead  ;  even  when 
the  others  put  on  mourning  she  would  not  do  so; 


450  FOR  THE  TEMPLE, 

but  of  late  I  know  that  though  she  has  never  said 
so,  hope  has  died  in  her  too ;  her  cheeks  have 
grown  pale  and  her  eyes  heavy,  but  she  still  keeps 
up  for  the  sake  of  your  parents,  and  we  often  look 
and  wonder  how  she  can  bear  herself  so  bravely." 

"  And  how  are  we  to  break  it  to  the  old  people  V 
John  asked.  > .  ^m 

Isaac  shook  his  head ;  the  matter  Was  beyond 
him. 

"  I  should  think,"  Jonas  suggested,  "  that  Isaac 
should  go  back  and  break  it  to  them  first  that  I 
have  returned ;  that  I  have  been  a  slave  among  the 
Romans,  and  have  escaped  from  them.  He  might 
say  that  he  has  questioned  me,  and  that  I  said  that 
you  certainly  did  not  fall  at  the  siege  of  Jerusalem, 
and  that  I  believe  that  you,  like  me,  were  sold  as  a 
slave  by  the  Romans.  Then  you  can  take  me  in  and 
let  them  question  me.  I  will  stick  to  that  story  for 
a  time,  raising  some  hopes  in  their  breasts,  till  at  last 
I  can  signify  to  Mary  that  3'ou  are  alive,  and  leave 
it  to  her  to  break  it  to  the  others." 

"  That  will  be  the  best  way  by  far,"  John  said. 
"Yes,  that  will  do  excellently  well.  Now,  Isaac, 
do  you  go  on  and  do  your  part.  Tell  them  gently 
that  Jonas  has  returned,  that  he  has  been  a  slave, 
and  escaped  from  the  Romans,  and  that,  as  far 
as  he  knows,  1  am  yet  alive.  Then,  when  they  are 
prepared,  bring  him  in  and  let  him  answer  their 
questions." 

The  evening  meal  had  been  ended  before  Isaac 
had  left  the  room  to  feed  with  some  warm  milk  a 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  45 1 

kid  whose  dam  had  died.  It  was  while  he  was  en- 
gaged upon  this  duty  that  Jonas  had  come  upon 
him.  When  he  entered  the  room  Simon  was  sitting 
with  the  open  Bible  before  him  at  the  head  of  the 
table,  waiting  his  return  to  commence  the  evening 
prayers. 

"What  has  detained  you,  Isaac?"  he  asked. 
"  Surel}''  it  is  not  after  all  these  years  you  would 
forget  our  evening  prayers  ?" 

"  I  was  detained,"  the  old  man  said  unsteadily  ; 
and  at  the  sound  of  his  voice,  and  the  sight  of  his 
face  as  it  came  within  the  circle  of  the  light  from 
the  lamp,  Mary  rose  suddenly  to  her  feet  and  stood 
looking  at  him. 

''  What  is  it  ?"  she  asked  in  a  low  voice. 

"  W  hy,"  Simon  asked  calmly,  "  what  has  detained 
you,  Isaac  ?" 

"  A  strange  thing  has  happened,"  the  old  man 
said.  "  One  of  our  wanderers  has  returned,  not  he 
whom  we  have  hoped  and  prayed  for  most,  but 
Jonas.  He  has  been  a  slave,  but  escaped  and  come 
back  to  us." 

"  And  what  is  his  news  ?"  Simon  asked,  rising  to 
his  feet ;  but  even  more  imperative  was  the  un- 
spoken question  on  Mary's  white  face  and  parted 
lips. 

"  He  gives  us  hope,"  Isaac  said  to  her.  "  So  far 
as  he  knows  John  may  yet  be  alive." 

"I  knew  it,  I  knew  it!"  Mary  said  in  a  voice 
scarcely  above  a  whisper.  "  O  Lord,  I  thank  thee ; 
why  have  I  doubted  thy  mercy !"     And  she  stood 


452  ^OR  THE  TEMPLE. 

for  a  moment  with  head  thrown  back  and  eyes  up- 
raised ;  then  she  swayed  suddenly,  and  would  have 
fallen  had  not  Isaac  ran  forward  and  supported  her, 
until  at  Martha's  cry  two  of  the  maids  hastened  up 
and  placed  her  on  a  seat.  Some  water  was  held  to 
her  lips  ;  she  drank  a  little,  and  then  said  faintly, 
"  Tell  us  more,  Isaac." 

"  I  have  not  much  more  to  tell,"  he  replied.  "  Jo- 
nas sa3's  that  John  certainly  did  not  fall  in  Jeru- 
salem, as  indeed  we  were  told  by  the  young  man  of 
his  band  who  returned,  and  that  he  believes  that, 
like  himself,  he  was  sold  as  a  slave.  But  Jonas  is 
outside.  I  thought  it  better  to  tell  you  first ;  now 
I  will  call  him  in  to  speak  for  himself," 

"When  Jonas  entered,  Martha  and  Mary  were 
clasped  in  each  other's  arras.  Miriam,  with  the 
tears  streaming  down  her  cheeks,  was  repeating 
aloud  one  of  the  Psalms  of  thanksgiving  ;  while  Si- 
mon stood  with  head  bent  low,  and  his  hands  grasp- 
ing the  table,  upon  which  the  tears  were  raining 
down  in  heavy  drops.  It  was  some  little  time  be- 
fore they  could  question  Jonas  further.  Martha 
and  Mary  had  embraced  him  as  if  he  had  been  the 
son  of  one,  the  brother  of  the  other.  Simon  sol- 
emnly blessed  him,  and  welcomed  him  as  one  from 
the  dead.  Then  they  gathered  round  to  hear  his 
story. 

"  John  and  I  both  escaped  all  the  dangers  of  the 
siege,"  he  said  ;  "  we  were  wounded  several  times, 
but  never  seriously.  God  seemed  to  watch  over 
us,  and  although  at  the  last,  of  the  six  hundred  men 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  453 

with  which  we  entered  Jerusalem  there  were  but 
twelve  who  remained  alive ;  we  were  among  them." 

"  Yes,  yes,  we  knew  that,"  Martha  said.  "  News 
was  brought  by  a  young  man  of  his  band  who  be- 
longed to  a  village  on  the  lake  that  twelve  of  you 
had  escaped  together  on  the  day  the  Temple  fell. 
The  others  all  returned  to  their  homes,  but  no  news 
ever  came  of  j^ou,  and  they  said  that  some  party  of 
Romans  must  have  killed  you ;  what  else  could  have 
befallen  you  ?  And  now  we  are  in  February — 
nearly  six  months  have  passed — and  no  word  of 
you !" 

"  We  were  carried  off  as  slaves,"  Jonas  said,  "  and 
taken,  like  Joseph,  to  be  sold  in  Egypt." 

"  And  have  you  seen  him  since  ?"  Simon  asked. 

"  Yes,  I  saw  him  in  Egypt." 

"  And  he  was  well  then  ?" 

"  Quite  well,"  Jonas  replied.  "  I  was  sent  to 
Rome,  and  thence  managed  to  make  my  way  back 
by  ship." 

"  We  must  purchase  him  back,"  Simon  said. 
"  Surely  that  must  be  possible !  I  have  money 
still.   I  will  make  the  journey  myself  and  buy  him." 

And  he  rose  to  his  feet  as  if  to  start  at  once. 

"  Well,  not  now,"  he  went  on  in  answer  to  the 
hand  which  Martha  laid  on  his  shoulder,  "  but  to- 
morrow." 

While  he  was  speaking  Mary  had  touched  Jonas, 
gazing  into  his  face  with  the  same  eager  question 
her  eyes  had  asked  Isaac.  The  thought  that  Jonas 
was  not  alone  had  flashed  across   her.     He  nodded 


454  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

slightly  and  looked  toward  the  door.     In  a  moment 
she  was  gone. 

"John  !"  she  cried  as  she  ran  out  of  the  house,  at 
first  in  a  low  tone,  but  louder  and  louder  as  she  ran 
on.     "  John  !  John  !  where  are  you  ?" 

A  figure  stepped  out  from  among  the  trees,  and 
Mary  fell  into  his  arms.  A  few  minutes  later  she 
reentered  the  room. 

"  Father,"  she  said,  going  up  to  Simon,  while  she 
tooii  Martha's  hand  in  hers,  "do  you  remember 
you  told  me  once  that  when  you  were  a  j^oung 
man  you  went  to  hear  the  preaching  of  a  teacher 
of  the  sect  of  the  Essenes,  whom  they  afterward 
slew?  You  thought  he  was  a  good  man  and  a 
great  teacher,  and  you  said  h6  told  a  parable,  and 
you  remembered  the  very  words.  1  think  I  remem- 
ber them  now:  'And  his  father  saw  him  and  ran 
and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him,  and  said,  Let 
us  be  merry,  for  this  my  son  was  dead  and  is  alive 
again  ;  he  was  lost  and  is  found.'  And  so,  father, 
is  it  even  unto  us." 

Martha  gave  a  loud  cry  and  turned  to  the  door, 
and  in  another  moment  was  clasped  in  John's  arms. 
Then  his  father  fell  on  his  neck. 

There  was  no  happier  household  in  the  land  than 
that  which  joined  in  the  Psalms  of  thanksgiving 
that  night.  The  news  spread  quickly  to  the  fisher- 
men's cottages,  and  the  neighbors  flocked  in  to  con- 
gratulate Simon  and  Martha  on  the  return  of  their 
son ;  and  it  was  long  since  the  strains  of  the  songs 
of  joy  had  floated  out  so  clear  and  strong  over  the 


The  Return  of  John  to  His  Home  on  the  Lake.— Page  454. 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  455 

water  of  Galilee,  for,  for  years  strains  of  lamenta- 
tion and  humiliation  alone  had  been  on  the  lips  of 
the  Jewish  maidens. 

After  the  service  of  song  was  over  Miriam  and 
the  maids  loaded  the  table,  while  Isaac  fetched  a 
skin  of  the  oldest  wine  from  the  cellar,  and  all  who 
had  assembled  were  invited  to  join  the  feast. 

When  the  neighbors  had  retired  John  asked  his 
father  and  Isaac  to  come  down  with  him  and  Jonas 
to  the  side  of  the  lake,  to  bring  up  a  cnest  that  was 
lying  there.  "  It  is  rather  too  heavy  lor  Jonas  and 
me  to  carry  alone." 

"  It  would  have  been  better,  my  son,  to  have 
asked  some  of  our  neighbors;  they  would  gladly 
have  assisted  you,  and  Isaac  and  I  have  not  between 
us  the  strength  of  one  man." 

"  I  know  it,  father,  but  I  do  not  wish  that  any 
besides  ourselves  should  know  that  the  box  is  here. 
We  will  take  a  pole  and  a  ]X)pe  with  us,  and  can  ad- 
just the  weight  so  that  your  portion  shall  not  be 
beyond  your  strength," 

On  arriving  at  the  spot  Simon  was  surprised  at 
seeing  a  small  box,  which  it  would  be  thought  a 
woman  could  have  lifted  with  ease. 

"Is  this  the  box  of  which  you  spokCj  John? 
Surely  you  want  no  aid  to  carry  this  up  ?" 

"  We  do  indeed,  father,  as  you  will  see." 

With  the  assistance  of  Jonas  John  put  the  rope 
round  the  box  and  slung  it  to  the  pole  near  one  end. 
He  and  Jonas  then  took  this  end  ;  Simon  and  Isaac 
lifted  that  furthest  from  the  box,  so  that  but  a  small 


456  ^OB  THE  TEMPLE. 

share  of  the  weight  rested  upon  them.     So  the  chest 
was  carried  up  to  the  house. 

"  What  is  this  you  have  brought  home  ?"  Martha 
asked  as  they  laid  the  box  down  in  the  principal 
room. 

"  It  is  gold,  mother — gold  to  be  used  for  the  relief 
of  the  poor  and  distressed,  for  those  who  have  been 
made  homeless  and  fatherless  in  this  war.  It  was  a 
gift  to  me,  as  I  will  tell  you  to-morrow  ;  but  I  need 
not  say  that  I  would  not  touch  one  penn^'  of  it,  for 
it  is  Roman  gold.  But  it  will  place  it  in  our  power  to 
do  immense  good  among  the  poor.  We  had  best 
bury  it  just  beneath  the  floor,  so  that  we  can  readily 
get  at  it  when  we  have  need." 

"  It  is  a  great  responsibility,  my  son,"  Simon  said  ; 
"  but  truly  there  are  thousands  of  homeless  and 
starving  families  who  sought  refuge  among  the  hills 
when  their  towns  and  villages  were  destroyed  by 
the  Romans ;  and  with  this  store  of  gold,  which 
must  be  of  great- value,  truly  great  things  can  be 
done  toward  relieving  their  necessities." 

The  next  morning  John  related  to  his  family  the 
various  incidents  which  had  befallen  him  and  Jonas 
since  they  had  last  parted  ;  and  their  surprise  was 
unbounded  when  he  produced  the  three  documents 
with  which  he  had  been  furnished  by  Titus.  The 
letters  saying  that  the  favor  of  Cassar  had  been  be 
stowed  upon  John  as  a  token  of  admiration  only  for 
the  bravery  with  which  he  had  fought,  and  ordering 
that  all  Romans  should  treat  him  as  one  having  the 
favor  and  friendship  of  Titus,  gave  them  unbounded 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  457 

satisfaction.  That  appointing  him  procurator  of 
the  whole  district  bordering  the  lake  to  the  east 
surprised  and  almost  bewildered  them. 

"But  what  are  you  going  to  do,  my  son?  Are 
you  going  to  leave  us  and  live  in  a  palace,  and 
appear  as  a  Roman  officer  ?" 

'•  1  am  not  thinking  of  doing  that,  father,"  John 
said  with  a  smile,  "For  myself  I  would  much 
rather  that  this  dignity  had  not  been  conferred  on 
me  by  Titus,  and  I  would  gladly  put  this  commis- 
sion with  its  imperial  seal  into  the  fire  ;  but  I  feel 
that  I  cannot  do  this,  for  it  gives  me  great  power  of 
doing  good  to  our  neighbors.  I  shall  be  able  to 
protect  them  from  all  oppression  by  Roman  soldiers 
or  b}'^  tax-gatherers.  There  is  no  occasion  for  me  to 
live  in  a  palace  or  to  wear  the  garments  of  a  Roman, 
official.  The  letter  of  Titus  shows  that  it  is  to  a 
Jew  that  he  has  given  this  power,  and  as  a  Jew  I 
shall  use  it.  While  journeying  here  from  Rome 
I  have  thought  much  over  the  matter.  At  first  I 
thought  of  suppressing  the  order.  Then  I  felt  that 
a  power  of  good  had  been  given  into  my  hands,  and 
that  I  had  no  right  from  selfish  reasons  to  shrink 
from  its  execution.  Doubtless  at  first  I  shall  be 
misunderstood.  They  will  say  that  I,  like  Josephus, 
have  turned  traitor,  and  have  gone  over  to  the 
Romans.  Even  were  it  so,  I  should  have  done  no 
more  than  all  the  people  of  Tiberias,  Sepphoris,  and 
other  cities  which  submitted  to  them.  But  I  do 
not  think  this  feeling  will  last  long.  All  those  who 
fought  with  me  outside  Jerusalem  against  the  Ro- 


458  VOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

mans  know  that  I  was  faithful  to  the  cause  of  my 
country.  The  few  survivors  of  the  band  I  led  into 
Jerusalem  can  testify  that  I  fought  until  the  Temple 
fell,  and  that  I  escaped  by  my  own  devices  and  not 
from  any  agreement  with  the  Romans.  Moreover, 
they  will  in  time  judge  me  by  my  acts.  I  shall 
rule,  as  I  said,  as  a  Jew  and  not  as  a  Roman — rule 
as  did  the  judges  in  the  old  times,  sitting  under  my 
own  fig-tree  here  and  listening  to  the  complaints 
that  may  be  brought  to  me,  and  I  trust  that  wisdom 
will  be  given  to  me  by  the  Lord  to  judge  wisely  and 
justly  among  them." 

"  You  have  decided  well,  my  son,''  Simon  said. 
"  May  God's  blessing  be  upon  you  !  What  think 
you,  little  Mary  ?  How  do  you  like  the  prospect  of 
being  the  wife  of  the  ruler  of  this  district  ?" 

"I  would  rather  that  he  had  been  the  ruler  only 
of  this  farm,"  Mary  said  ;  "  but  I  see  that  a  great 
power  of  good  has  been  given  into  his  hands,  and  it 
is  not  for  me  to  complain." 

"  That  reminds  me,"  Simon  said,  ''  of  what  Martha 
and  I  were  speaking  together  last  night.  You  have 
both  waited  long ;  there  is  no  occasion  for  longer 
tarrying ;  the  marriage-feast  will  be  prepared,  and 
we  will  summon  our  neighbors  and  friends  to  as- 
semble here  this  day  week.  And  now,  John,  what 
are  you  going  to  do  ?" 

"  I  am  going,  father,  at  once  to  Hippos,  the  chief 
town  in  the  district.  I  shall  see  the  authorities  of 
the  town  and  the  captain  of  the  Roman  garrison 
and  lay  before  them  the  commission  of  Caesar,     I 


FOB  THE  TEMPLE.  459 

shall  then  issue  a  proclamation  announcing  to  all 
people  within  the  limits  of  the  district  that  have 
been  marked  out  that  I  have  authority  from  Kome 
to  judge  all  matters  that  may  come  before  me  in 
the  district,  and  that  all  who  have  causes  of  com- 
plaint or  who  have  been  wronged  by  any  will  find 
me  here,  ready  to  hear  their  cause  and  to  order  jus- 
tice to  be  rendered  to  them,  I  shall  also  say  that  1 
shall  shortly  make  a  tour  through  the  district  to  see 
for  myself  into  the  condition  of  things  and  to  give 
aid  to  such  as  need  it." 

Great  was  the  surprise  of  the  Roman  and  Jewish 
authorities  in  Hippos  when  John  produced  the  im- 
perial commission.  There  was,  however,  no  doubt- 
ing or  disputing  it.  The  Roman  officers  at  once 
placed  themselves  under  his  orders,  and  issued 
proclamations  of  their  own  in  addition  to  that  of 
John,  notifying  the  fact  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
district.  Among  the  Jewish  authorities  there  was 
at  first  some  feeling  of  jealous}'^  that  this  young  man 
should  be  placed  over  them  ;  but  they  felt  never- 
theless the  great  benefits  that  would  arise  from  the 
protection  which  one  of  their  own  countrymen  high 
in  the  favor  of  Titus  would  be  able  to  afford  them. 
"When  showing  his  commission  John  had  also  pro- 
duced the  letter  of  Titus  giving  his  reasons  for  the 
nomination,  and,  indeed,  the  younger  men  in  the 
district,  many  of  whom  had  followed  John  in  his 
first  campaigns,  and  who  had  hitherto,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  oath  of  secrecy  taken  on  enrollment, 
concealed  their  knowledge  that  John   of   Gamala 


460  FOR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

was  the  son  of  Simon,  now  proclaimed  the  fact  and 
hailed  his  appointment  with  joy. 

On  the  appointed  day  the  marriage  of  John  and 
Mary  took  place ;  and  as  the  news  had  spread 
through  the  country  a  vast  gathering  assembled, 
and  it  was  made  the  occasion  of  a  public  demonstra- 
tion. The  preparations  which  Martha  and  Mary 
had  made  for  the  feast,  ample  as  they  had  been, 
would  have  availed  but  little  among  such  a  multi- 
tude ;  but  Isaac  and  the  men-servants  drove  in  and 
slaughtered  several  cattle,  and  as  those  who  came 
for  the  most  part  bore  presents  of  wine,  oil,  bread, 
goats,  and  other  articles,  and  the  neighbors  lent 
their  assistance  in  preparing  a  feast  at  the  great 
fires  which  were  lighted  along  the  shore,  while 
Simon  contributed  all  the  contents  of  his  wine  store, 
the  feast  proved  ample  for  all  assembled.  John  and 
his  wife  moved  among  the  throng  receiving  con- 
gratulations and  good  wishes;  Mary  blushing  and 
tearful  with  happiness  and  pride  in  the  honor  paid 
to  John  ;  John  himself  radiant  with  pleasure  and 
with  satisfaction  at  the  thought  of  the  good  which 
the  power  so  strangely  conferred  upon  him  would 
enable  him  to  effect  for  his  neighbors. 

After  that  things  went  on  in  their  ordinary  rou- 
tine at  the  farm,  save  that  John  was  frequently 
away  visiting  among  the  villages  of  the  district, 
which  was  some  thirty  miles  long  by  ten  wide. 
The  northern  portion  was  thinly  inhabited,  but  in 
the  south  the  villages  were  thick,  and  the  people 
had  suffered  greatly  from  the  excursions  of  the  Ro- 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  4gX 

man  foragers  at  the  time  of  the  siege  of  Gamala. 
Many  of  the  villages  had  been  rebuilt  since  that 
time,  but  there  was  scili  great  distress,  heightened 
by  the  number  of  fugitives  from  the  other  side  of 
Jordan. 

The  aid  which  John  gave  enabled  most  of  the 
fugitives  in  his  district  to  return  to  their  distant 
villages  and  to  rebuild  their  homes,  where  there  was 
now  little  fear  of  their  being  again  disturbed.  The 
distress  in  his  own  district  was  also  relieved.  In 
some  cases  money  was  given,  in  others  lent,  to  en- 
able the  cultivators  to  till  their  fields,  to  replant 
vineyards,  and  to  purchase  flocks.  So  that  in  the 
course  of  a  year  the  whole  district  was  restored  to 
its  normal  appearance,  and  the  signs  of  the  destruc- 
tive war  were  almost  entirely  effaced. 

Then  John  was  able  to  settle  down  in  his  quiet 
home.  In  the  morning  he  worked  with  his  father  ; 
in  the  afternoon  he  listened  to  the  complaints  or 
petitions  of  those  who  came  before  him,  settling 
disputes  between  neighbors,  hearing  the  stories  of 
those  who  considered  that  they  were  too  hardly 
pressed  upon  by  the  tax-collector,  and  doing  justice 
to  those  who  were  wronged. 

Soon  after  he  married,  mindful  of  the  doctrines 
he  had  heard  during  his  visit  among  the  community 
of  Nazarites  by  the  Dead  Sea,  John  made  inquiries, 
and  found  that  many  of  the  sect  who  had  left  the 
land  when  the  troubles  with  the  Eomans  com- 
menced had  now  returned,  and  were  preaching 
their  doctrines  more  openly  than  before,  now  that 


463  J^'OR  TEE  TEMPLE. 

those  of  the  ancient  religion  could  no  longer  perse- 
cute them. 

At  Tiberias  a  considerable  community  of  the  sect 
soon  established  themselves  ;  and  John,  going  over, 
persuaded  one  of  their  teachers  to  take  up  his  abode 
with  him  for  a  time  and  to  expound  their  doctrines 
to  hira  and  his  family.  He  was  astonished  at  the 
spirit  of  love,  charity,  and  good -will  which  ani- 
mated the  teaching  of  the  Christians — still  more  at 
the  divine  spirit  that  breathed  in  the  utterances  and 
animated  the  life  of  their  Master. 

The  central  idea,  that  God  was  the  God  of  the 
whole  world,  and  not,  as  the  Jews  had  hitherto  sup- 
posed, a  special  deity  of  their  own,  struck  John 
particularly,  and  explained  many  things  which  had 
hitherto  been  diflBcult  for  him  to  understand.  It 
Avould  have  been  galling  t.  atimit  as  much  in  the 
days  of  Jewish  pride  and  stubbornness;  but  their 
spirit  was  broken  now  ;  and  John  could  understand 
that  'though  a  long  as  the  nation  had  believed  in 
hin.  and  s'U've..  !  im  God  had  taken  a  peculiar  in- 
terest in  then  and  bad  revealed  i^  them  much  of 
his  np.'ure  and  attributes,  while  the  rest  of  the 
world  had  been  left  to  worship  false  gods,  he 
yet  loved  all  the  Avorld,  and  w^as  now  about  to  ex- 
tend to  all  men  that  knowledge  of  hira  hitherto 
confined  to  the  Jews.  Above  all,  John  saw  how 
vastly  higher  was  the  idea  of  God  as  revealed  in 
the  new  teaching  than  that  which  the  Jews  had 
hitherto  entertained  regarding  hira. 

A  month  after  the  arrival  of  the  teacher  John 


FOR  THE  TEMPLE.  463 

and  Mary  were  baptized  into  the  new  faith ;  and  a 
few  months  later  Simon  and  Martha,  who  had  been 
harder  to  convince,  also  became  converts. 

When  Titus  was  raised  to  the  imperial  throne, 
John,  in  compliance  with  the  request  he  had  made 
him,  journeyed  to  Kome  and  remained  there  for  a 
short  timo  as  his  guest,  Titus  received  him  with 
affection. 

"  I  shall  not  try  to  tempt  you  with  fresh  offers  of 
honors,"  he  said,  "  though  I  regret  that  you  should 
refuse  to  accept  a  sphere  of  wider  usefulness. 
From  time  to  time  I  have  heard  of  you  from  the 
reports  of  my  governors,  who  say  that  the  district 
under  your  charge  is  the  most  prosperous  and 
contented  in  all  Palestine,  that  there  is  neitner 
dispute  nor  litigation  there,  that  there  are  no  poor, 
that  the  taxes  are  collected  without  difficulty,  and 
that,  save  only  that  you  do  not  keep  up  the  state 
and  dignity  which  a  Koman  official  should  occupy, 
you  are  in  all  respects  a  model  ruler." 

"I  have  every  reason  to  be  thankful,"  John  said. 
"Ihave  been  blessed  in  everyway.  My  parents 
still  survive.  I  am  happy  with  my  wife  and  chil- 
dren. Your  bount}'  has  enabled  me  to  bind  up  the 
wounds  and  relieve  the  distress  caused  by  the  war. 
My  mind  has  been  opened  to  heavenly  teaching, 
and  I  try  humbly  to  follow  in  the  steps  of  that 
divine  teacher,  Jesus  of  I^azareth." 

"  Ah,  you  have  come  to  believe  in  him  I"  Titus 
said.  "  There  are  many  ot  his  creed  here  in  Rome, 
and  they  say  that  they  are  even  on  the  increase. 


464  FOR  THE  TEMPLE. 

I  would  gladly  hear  from  you  something  of  him.  I 
have  heard  somewhat  of  him  from  Josephus,  who 
for  three  years  dwelt  among  the  Essenes,  and  who 
has  spoken  to  me  very  highly  of  the  purity  of  life, 
the  enlightenment,  and  religious  fervor  of  that  sect, 
to  which,  I  believe,  he  himself  secretly  inclines, 
although,  from  the  desire  not  to  offend  his  country- 
men, he  makes  no  open  confession  of  his  faith." 

John,  before  he  left,  explained  to  the  emperor 
the  teachings  of  his  Master,  and  it  may  be  that  the 
wisdom,  humanity,  and  mildness  which  Titus  dis- 
played in  the  course  of  his  reign  was  in  no  small 
degree  the  result  of  the  lessons  which  he  learned 
from  John. 

The  latter  came  no  more  to  Rome,  but  to  the  end 
of  his  life  dwelt  on  the  shore  of  Galilee,  wisely 
governing  his  little  district  after  the  manner  of  the 
judges  of  old. 

Jonas  never  left  his  friend.  He  married  the 
daughter  of  one  of  the  fishermen,  and  lived  in  a 
small  house  which  Simon  built  for  him  close  to  his 
own.  At  the  death  of  the  latter  he  became  John's 
right  hand  on  the  farm,  and  remained  his  friend 
and  brother  to  the  end. 


THE  END. 


A,  L.  Burt*s  Catalogue  of  Books  for 
Young  People  by  Popular  Writers,  52- 
58  Duane  Street,  New  York   '^   ^   ^^ 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Joe's  Luck:    A  Boy's  Adventures  in  California.    By 

Horatio  Algkr,  Jr.    ISmo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

The  story  Is  chock  full  of  stirring  incidents,  while  the  amusing  situ- 
ations are  furnished  by  Joshua  Bickford,  from  Pumpldn  Hollow,  and  the 
fellow  who  modestly  styles  liimself  the  "RiD-tail  Roarer,  from  Pike  Co., 
Missouri."  Mr.  Alger  never  writes  a  poor  book,  and  "Joe's  Luck"  is  cer- 
tainly one  of  his  best. 

Tom  the   Bootblack;  or.   The   Road  to   Success.     By 

Horatio  Aloer,  Jr.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

A  bright,  enterprising  lad  was  Tom  the  Bootblack.  He  was  not  at  all 
ashamed  of  his  humble  calling,  though  always  on  the  lookout  to  better 
himself.  The  lad  started  for  Cincinnati  to  look  up  his  heritage.  Mr. 
Grey,  th-i  uncle,  did  not  hesitate  to  employ  a  ruffian  to  kill  the  lad.  The 
plan  failed,  and  Gilbert  Grey,  once  Tom  the  bootblack,  came  into  a  com- 
fortable  fortune.     This   is   one   of   Mr.    Alger's   best   stories. 

Dan  the  Newsboy.    By   Hoeatio   Alger,   Je.    12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  81.00. 

Dan  Mordaunt  and  his  mother  live  in  a  poor  tenement,  and  the  lad  la 
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Tony  the  Hero:    A    Brave    Boy's    Adventure  with  a 

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Tony,  a  sturdy  bright-eyed  boy  of  fourteen,  is  under  the  control  of 
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la    prosperous.     A    very    entertaining    book. 

The  Errand  Boy;  or.  How  Phil  Brent  Won  Success. 

By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.    12mo,  cloth  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

The  career  of  "The  Errand  Boy"  embraces  the  city  adventures  of  a 
amart  country  lad.  Philip  was  brought  up  by  a  kind-hearted  innkeeper 
named  Brent.  The  death  of  Mrs.  Brunt  paved  the  way  for  the  hero'a 
subsequent  troubles.  A  retired  merchant  in  New  York  secures  him  the 
situation   of   errand    boy,    and    thereafter    stands    as   his   friend. 

Tom  Temple's  Career.     By  Hoeatio  Algee,  Je.     12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

Tom  Temple  is  a  bright,  self-reliant  lad.  He  leaves  Plympton  village 
to  seek  work  in  New  York,  whence  he  undertakes  an  important  missioo 
to  California.  Some  of  his  adventures  in  the  far  west  are  so  startling  that 
the  reader  will  scarcely  close  the  book  until  the  last  page  shall  have  been 
reached.     The  tale  is  written  in  Mr.  Alger's  most  fascinating  style. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L,  SURI,  58-68  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


2       A.  L.  burt's  books  foe  young  people. 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS.  ^ 

Frank  Fowler,  the  Cash  Boy.    By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  81.00. 

Frank  Fowler,  a  poor  boy.  bravely  determines  to  make  a  llvlnjt  for 
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situation  as  cash  boy  in  a  dry  goods  store.  He  renders  a  service  to  a 
wealthy  old  gentleman  who  takes  a  fancy  to  the  lad,  and  thereafter 
helps   the    lad   to   gain   success   and    fortune. 

Tom  Thatcher's    Fortune.      By    Horatio    Alger,  Je. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

Tom  Thatcher  is  a  brave,  ambitious,  unselfish  boy.  He  supports  his 
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In  a  way  which  has  made  Mr.  Alger's  name  a  household  word  In  so  many 
homes. 

The  Train    Boy.     By    Horatio    Alger,    Jr.     12ino, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  SI. 00. 

Paul  Palmer  was  a  wide-awake  boy  of  sixteen  who  supported  his  mother 
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is   well   started   on   the   road   to   business   proipinence. 

Mark  Mason's  Victory.     The  Trials  and  Triumphs  of 

a  Telegraph  Boy.    By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price 

$1.00. 

Mark  Mason,  the  telegraph  boy,  was  a  sturdy,  honest  lad,  who  plucklly 
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Mr.    Alger  as   a   favorite   author. 

A  Debt  of  Honor.     The  Story  of  Gerald  Lane's  Success 

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The  story  of  Gerald  Lane  and  the  account  of  the  many  trials  and  dis- 
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Ben  Bruce.     Scenes  in  the  Life  of  a  Bowery  Newsboy. 

By  Horatio  Algkr,  Jr.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

Ben  Bruce  was  a  brave,  manly,  generous  boy.  The  story  of  his  efforts, 
and  many  seeming  failures  and  disappointments,  and  his  final  success,  are 
most  interpsting  to  all  readers.  The  tale  is  written  in  Mr.  Alger's 
most  fascinating  style. 

The  Castaways;  or,  On  the  Florida  Reefs.    By  James 

Otis.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

This  tale  smacks  of  the  salt  sea.  From  the  moment  that  the  Sea 
Queen  leaves  lower  New  York  bay  till  the  breeze  leaves  her  becalmed  off 
the  coast  of  Florida,  one  can  almost  hear  the  whistle  of  the  wind 
through  her  rigging,  the  creak  of  her  straining  cordage  as  she  heels  to 
the  leeward.  The  adventures  of  Ben  Clark,  the  hero  of  the  story  and 
Jake  the  cook,  cannot  fail  to  charm  the  reader.  As  a  writer  for  young 
people    Mr.    Otis    is    a    prime    favorite.  _ 

For  sale  by  all  beoksellors,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A,  I,.  BUS.T,  62-68  Sutine  Street,  New  York. 


A.  L.  BUET^S  BOOKS  FOE  YOUNG  PEOPLE.  3 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Wrecked  on  Spider  Island;  or.  How  Ned  Rogers  Found 

the  Treasuie.  By  James  Otis.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 
,  Ned  Rogers,  a  "down-east"  plucky  lad  ships  as  cabin  boy  to  earn 
a  livelihood.  Ned  is  marooned  on  Spider  Island,  and  while  there  dis- 
covers a  wreck  submerged  in  the  sand,  and  finds  a  considerable  amount 
of  treasure.  The  capture  of  the  treasure  and  the  incidents  of  the 
voyage  serve  to  make  us  entertaluiag  a  story  of  sea-life  as  the  most 
captious    boy    could    desire. 

The  Search  for  the  Silver  City :  A  Tale  of  Adventure  in 

Yucatan.    By  James  Otis.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

Two  lads,  Teddy  Wright  and  Neal  Emery,  embark  on  the  steam 
yacl:t  Day  Dream  for  a  cruise  to  the  tropics.  The  yacht  is  destroyed 
by  fire,  and  then  the  boat  is  cast  upon  the  coast  of  Yucatan.  They 
tear  of  the  wonderful  Silver  City,  of  the  Chan  Santa  Cruz  Indians, 
aud  with  the  help  of  a  faithful  Indian  ally  carry  off  a  number  of  the 
golden  images  from  the  temples.  Pursued  with  relentless  vigor  at  last 
their  escape  Is  effected  in  an  astonishing  manner.  The  story  is  so 
full  of  exciting  Incidents  that  the  reader  Is  quite  carried  away  with 
the   novelty   and   realism   of   the   narrative. 

A    Eunaway    Brig;  or.    An    Accidental    Cruise.     By 

James  Otis.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

This  is  a  sea  tale,  and  the  reader  can  look  out  upon  the  wide  shimmer- 
ing sea  as  it  flashes  back  the  sunlight,  and  imagine  himself  afloat  with 
iiarry  Vandyne,  Walter  Morse,  Jim  Libby  and  that  oirt  shell-back.  Bob 
Brace,  on  the  brig  Bonita.  The  boys  discover  a  myiterioua  document 
which  enables  them  to  find  a  buried  treasure.  They  are  stranded  on 
an  island  and  at  last  are  rescued  with  the  treasure.  The  boys  are  sure 
to  be  fascinated  with  this  entertaining  story. 

The    Treasure    Finders:     A    Boy's    Adventures    in 

Nicaragua.    By  James  Otis.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

Boy  and  Dean  Coloney,  with  their  guide  Tongla,  leave  their  father's 
Indigo  plantation  to  visit  the  wonderful  ruins  of  an  ancient  city.  The 
boys  eagerly  explore  the  temples  of  an  extinct  race  and  discover  three 
golden  images  cunningly  hidden  away.  They  escape  with  the  greatest 
ditficuity.  Eventually  they  reach  safety  with  their  gol  len  prizes.  We 
doubt  if  there  ever  was  written  a  more  entertaining  story  than  "The 
Treasure    Finders." 

Jack,  the  Hunchback.     A  Story  of  tLe  Coast  of  Maine. 

By  James  Otis.    Price  $1.00. 

This  is  the  story  of  a  little  hunchback  who  lived  on  Cape  Elizabeth, 
on  the  coast  of  Maine.  His  trials  and  successor  are  most  Interesting. 
From  first  to  last  nothing  stays  the  Interest  of  the  narrative.  It  bears  ua 
along  as  on  a  stream  whose  current  varies  in  direction,  but  never  loses 
its   force. 

With  Washington  at  Monmouth:    A   Story   of   Three 

Philadelphia   Boys.     By  James  Otis.     12mo,   ornamental  cloth,   olivino 

edges,  illustrated,  price  $1.50. 

Three  Philadelphia  lads  assist  the  American  spies  and  make  regular 
and  frequent  visits  to  Valley  Forge  in  the  Winter  while  the  British 
occupied  the  city.  The  story  abounds  with  pictures  of  Colonial  life 
Bkillfully  drawn,  and  the  glimpses  of  Washington's  soldiers  which  are 
given  shown  that  the  work  has  not  been  hastily  done,  or  without  con- 
siderable study.  The  story  is  wholesome  and  patriotic  In  tone,  as  are 
all    of    Mr.    Otis'    works. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,   A.  L.  BTTBT,  52-58  Ouane  Street,  New  York, 


4  A.  L.  hurt's  books  for  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS.  "^ 

With  Lafayette  at  Yorktown:  A  Story  of  How  Two 

Boys  Joined  the  Continental  Army.    By  Jaues  Otis.    12mo,  ornamental 

cloth,  olivine  edges,  illustrated,  price  $1.50. 

Two  lads  from  Portmouth,  N.  H.,  attempt  to  enlist  In  the  Colonial 
Army,  and  are  given  employment  as  spies.  There  Is  no  lack  of  exciting 
Incidents  which  the  youthful  reader  craves,  but  It  Is  healthful  excite- 
ment brimming  with  facts  which  every  boy  should  be  familiar  with, 
and  while  the  reader  is  following  the  adventures  of  Ben  Jaffrays  and 
Ned  Allen  he  is  acquiring  a  fund  of  historical  lore  which  will  remain 
In  his  memory  long  after  that  which  he  has  memorized  from  text- 
books  has   been    forgotten. 

At  the  Siege  of  Havana.    Being  the  Experiences  of 

Three  Boys  Serving  under  Israel  Putnam  in  1762.    By  Jaues  Otis.    12mo, 

ornamental  cloth,  olivine  edges,  illustrated,  price  $1.50. 

"At  the  Siege  of  Havana"  deals  with  that  portion  of  the  Island's 
history  when  the  English  king  captured  the  capital,  thanks  to  the 
assistance  given  by  the  troops  from  New  ■  England,  led  In  part  by  Col. 
Israel    Putnam. 

The  principal  characters  are  Darius  Lunt,  the  lad  who,  represented  as 
telling  the  story,  and  his  comrades,  Robert  Clement  and  Nicholas 
Vallet.  Colonel  Putnam  also  figures  to  considerable  extent,  necessarily, 
In  the  tale,  and  the  whole  forms  one  of  the  most  readable  stories  founded  on 
historical  ,  facts. 

The  Defense  of  Fort  Henry.       A  Story  of  Wheeling 

Creek  in  1777.    Bv  James  Otis.    ISmo,  ornamental  cloth,  olivine  edges, 

illustrated,  price  $1.50. 

Nowhere  in  the  history  of  our  country  can  be  found  more  heroic  or 
thrilling  incidents  than  in  the  story  of  those  brave  men  and  women 
who  founded  the  settlement  of  Whijellng  In  the  Colony  of  Virginia.  The 
recital  of  what  Elizabeth  Zane  did  is  in  itself  as  heroic  a  story  as  can 
be  imagined.  The  wondrous  bravery  displayed  b.y  Major  McCuUoch 
and  his  gallant  comrades,  the  sufferings  of  the  colonists  and  their  sacrifice 
of  blood  and  life,  stir  the  blood  of  old  as  well  as  young  readers. 

The  Capture  of  the  Laughing  Mary.    A  Story  of  Three 

New  York  Boys  in  1776.    By  James  Otis.    12mo,  omamentaJ  cloth,  olivine 

edges,  price  81.50. 

"Daring  the  British  occupancy  of  New  York,  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
Revolution,  a  Yankee  lad  hears  of  the  plot  to  take  General  Washington's 
person,  and  calls  in  two  companions  to  assist  the  patriot  cause.  They 
do  some  astonishing  things,  and.  Incidentally,  lay  the  way  for  an 
American  navy  later,  by  the  exploit  which  gives  its  name  to  the 
work.  Mr.  Otis'  books  are  too  well  known  to  require  any  particular 
commendation  to  the  young." — Evening  Post. 

With  Warren  at  Bunker  Hill.    A  Story  of  the  Siege  of 

Boston.     By  James  Otis.     12mo,  omametnal  cloth,  olivine  edges,  fllus 

trated,  price  $1.50. 

"This  Is  a  tale  of  the  elege  of  Boston,  which  opens  on  the  day  after 
the  doings  at  Lexington  and  Concord,  with  a  description  of  home  life 
In  Boston.  Introduces  the  reader  to  the  British  camp  at  Charlestown, 
shows  Gen.  Warren  at  home,  describes  what  a  boy  thought  of  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  closes  with  the  raising  of  the  siege.  The 
three  heroes,  George  Wentworth,  Ben  Scarlett  and  an  old  ropemaker, 
Incur  the  enmity  of  a  .voung  Tory,  who  causes  them  many  adventures 
the  boys  will  like  to  read." — Detroit  Free  Press. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher.  A.  L.  BURT,   62-58  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  BOOKS  FOR  xOUNG  PEOPLE.  5 

'IWI  I  »*■■l■»^    11.11  ■—      ,.  ^ 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

With  the  Swamp  Fox.     The  Story  of  General  Marion's 

Spies.    By  James  Otis.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  81.00. 

This  story  deals  with  General  Francis  Marlon's  heroic  struggle  In  the 
Carollnas.  General  Marlon's  arrival  to  take  command  of  these  brave 
men  and  rough  riders  Is  pictured  as  a  boy  might  have  seen  It,  and 
although  the  story  is  devoted  to  what  the  lads  did,  the  Swamp  Fox 
is   ever   present    in    the   mind   of    the    reader. 

On  the  Kentucky  Frontier.     A  Story  of  the  Fighting 

Pioneers  of  the  West.    By  James  Otis.    12nio,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1. 

In  the  history  of  our  country  there  is  no  more  thrilling  story  than 
that  of  the  worl£  done  on  the  Mississippi  river  by  a  handful  of  frontiers- 
men. Mr.  Otis  takes  the  reader  ou  that  famous  expedition  from  the 
arrival  of  Major  Clarke's  force  at  Corn  Island,  until  Kaskaskia  was 
captured.  He  relates  that  part  of  Simon  Kenton's  life  history  which 
Is  not  usually  touched  upon  either  by  the  historian  or  the  story  teller. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  entertaining  books  for  young  people  whicli  has 
been    published. 

Sarah  Dillard's  Ride.      A  Story  of  South  Carolina  in 

in  1780.    By  James  Otis.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"This  book  deals  with  the  Carolinas  in  1780,  giving  a  wealth  of  detail  of 
the  Mountain  Men  who  struggled  so  valiantly  against  the  king's  troops. 
Major  Ferguson  is  the  prominent  British  officer  of  the  story,  which  is 
told  as  though  coming  from  a  youth  who  experienced  these  adventures. 
In  this  way  the  famous  ride  of  Sarah  Dillard  is  brought  out  as  an 
Incident  of  the  plot." — Boston  Journal. 

A  Tory  Plot.     A  Story  of  the  Attempt  to  Kill  General 

Washington.    By  James  Otis.    ISmo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"  'A  Tory  Plot'  is  the  story  of  two  lads  who  overhear  something 
of  the  plot  originated  during  the  Eevolution  by  Gov.  Tryon  to  capture 
or  murder  Washington.  They  communicate  their  knowledge  to  Gen. 
Putnam  and  are  commissioned  by  him  to  play  the  role  of  detectives 
In  the  matter.  They  do  so,  and  meet  with  many  adventures  and  hair- 
breadth escapes.  The  boys  are,  of  course,  mythical,  but  they  serve  to  en- 
able the  author  to  put  into  very  attractive  shape  much  valuable  knowledge 
concerning  one  phase  of  the  Revolution." — Pittsburgh  Times. 

A  Traitor's  Escape.     A  Story  of  the  Attempt  to  Seize 

Benedict  Arnold.    By  James  Otis.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  8100. 

"This  is  a  tale  with  stirring  scenes  depicted  in  each  chapter,  bringing 
clearly  before  the  mind  the  glorious  deeds  of  the  early  settlers  in  this 
country.  In  an  historical  work  dealing  with  this  country's  past,  no 
plot  can  hold  the  attention  closer  than  this  one,  which  describes  the 
attempt  and  partial  success  of  Benedict  Arnold's  escape  to  New  York, 
where  he  remained  as  the  guest  of  Sir  Henry  Clinton.  All  those  who 
actually  figured  in  the  arrest  of  the  traitor,  as  well  as  Gen.  Washing- 
ton, are  Included  as  characters." — Albany  Union. 

A  Cruise  with  Paul  Jones.     A  Story  of  Naval  Warfare 

in  1776.    By  James  Otis.    ISino,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"This  story  takes  up  that  portion  of  Paul  Jones'  adventurous  life 
when  he  was  hovering  off  the  British  coast,  watching  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  strike  the  enemy  a  blow.  It  deals  more  particularly  with 
his  descent  upon  Whitehaven,  the  seizure  of  Lady  Selkirk's  plate,  and 
the  famous  battle  with  the  Drake.  The  boy  who  figures  in  the  tale 
Is  one  who  was  taken  from  a  derelict  by  Paul  Jones  shortly  after  this 
particular  cruise  was  begun." — Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  By  the 
publisher.  A.   L,  BUKI.  62-56  Ouane  Street,   New  York. 


6  A.  L.  BURT^S  BOOKS  FOR  YOLNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Corporal  Lige's  Eecruit.     A  Story  of  Crown  Point  and 

Ticonderoga.    By  James  Otis.    l2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  81,00. 

"In  'Corporal  Lige's  Recruit,'  Mr.  Otis  tells  the  amusing  8tor.v  of  an 
old  soldier,  proud  of  his  record,  who  had  served  the  king  In  '58.  and  who 
takes  the  lad,  Isaac  Rice,  as  his  'personal  recruit.'  The  lad  acquits 
himself  superbly.  Col.  Ethau  Allen  'in  the  name  of  God  and  the  con- 
tinental congress,*  infuses  much  martial  spirit  into  the  narrative,  which 
will  arouse  the  keenest  interest  as  it  proceeds.  Crown  Point.  Ticon- 
deroga,  Benedict  Arnold  and  numerous  other  famoug  historical  names 
appear  in  this  dramatic  tale." — Boston  Globe. 

Morgan,  the  Jersey  Spy.  A  Story  of  the  Siege  of  York- 
town  In  1781.  By  James  Otis.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  f  1.00. 
"The  two  lads  who  are  utilized  by  the  author  to  emphasize  the  details 
of  the  work  done  during  that  memorable  time  were  real  boys  who  lived 
on  the  banks  of  the  York  river,  and  who  aided  the  Jersey  spy  in  his 
dangerous  occupation.  In  the  guise  of  fishermen  the  lads  visit  York- 
town,  are  suspected  of  being  spies,  and  put  under  arrest.  Morgan  risks 
his  life  to  save  them.  The  final  escape,  the  thrilling  encounter  with  a 
squad  of  red  coats,  when  they  are  exposed  equally  to  the  bullets  of 
friends  and  foes,  told  in  a  masterly  fashion,  makes  of  this  volume  one 
of  the  most  entertaining  books  of  the  year." — Inter-Ocean. 

The  Young  Scout:  The  Story  of  a  West  Point  Lieu- 
tenant. By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 
The  crafty  Apache  chief  Geronimo  but  a  few  years  ago  was  the 
most  terrible  scourge  of  the  southwest  border.  The  author  has  woven. 
In  a  tale  of  thrilling  interest,  all  the  incidents  of  Geronimo's  last  raid. 
The  hero  is  Lieutenant  James  Decker,  a  recent  graduate  of  West  Point. 
Ambitious  to  distinguish  himself  the  young  man  takes  many  a  desperate 
chance  against  the  enemy  and  on  more  than  one  occasion  narrowly 
escapes  with  his  life.  In  our  opinion  Mr.  Ellis  is  the  best  writer  of 
Indian   stories   now   before    the   public. 

Adrift  in  the  Wilds:  The  Adventures  of  Two  Ship- 
wrecked Boys.  By  Edwaed  S.  Ellis.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 
Elwood  Brandon  and  Howard  Lawrence  are  en  route  for  San  Fran- 
cisco. Off  tho  coast  of  California  the  steamer  takes  fire.  The  two  boys 
reach  the  shore  with  several  of  the  passengers.  Young  Brandon  be- 
comes separated  from  his  party  and  Is  captured  by  hostile  Indians, 
but  is  afterwards  rescued.  This  is  a  very  entertaining  narrative  of 
Southern   California. 

A  Young  Hero;  or,  Fighting  to  Win.     By  Edward  S. 

Ellis.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

This  story  tells  how  a  valuable  solid  silver  service  was  stolen  from 
the  Misses  Perkinpiue,  two  very  old  and  simple  minded  ladles.  Fred 
Sheldon,  the  hero  of  this  stor.v.  undertakes  to  discover  the  thieves  and 
have  them  arrested.  After  much  time  spent  in  detective  work,  he 
succeeds  in  discovering  the  silver  plate  and  winning  the  reward.  The 
story  is  told  in  Mr.  Ellis'  most  fascinating  style.  Every  boy  will  be 
glad   to   read   this  delightful   book. 

Lost  in  the  Eockies.     A  Story  of  Adventure  in  the 

Bocky  Mountains.    By  Edward  S.  Ellis.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1. 

Incident  succeeds  Incident,  and  adventure  Is  piled  upon  adventnre, 
and  at  the  end  the  reader,  be  fce  boy  or  man,  will  have  experienced 
breathless  enjoyment  In  this  romantic  story  describing  many  adventures  in 
the  Rockies  and  among  the  Indians. 

For  sale  by  .11  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.   L,  Htl&T,  52-68  Duane  Street,   Kew  York. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.  7 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

A  Jaunt  Through  Java:    The  Story  of  a  Journey  to 

the  Sacred  Mountain.    By  Edwabd  S.  Ellis     i2mo,  cloth,  illustrated. 

price  $1.00. 

The  interest  of  this  story  Is  found  in  the  thrllllnE  adventures  ot 
two  cousins,  llormon  and  Eustace  Hadley,  on  their  trip  acrosss  the  island 
of  Java,  from  Samarang  to  the  Sacred  Mountain.  In  a  land  where  the 
Eoyal  Bengal  tiger,  the  rhinoceros,  and  other  fierce  I  oasts  are  to  be 
met  with,  it  is  but  natural  that  the  heroes  of  this  book  should  have  a 
lively  experience.     There  is  not  a  dull  page  in  the  book. 

The  Boy  Patriot.     A  Story  of  Jack,  the  Young  Friend 

of  Washington.    By  Edward  S.  Ellis.    12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  illus- 
trated, price  $1.50. 

"There  are  adventures  of  all  kinds  for  the  hero  and  his  friends,  whose 
pluck  and  ingenuity  in  extricating  themselves  from  awkward  fixes  are 
clways  equal  to  the  occasion.  It  is  an  excellent  story  full  of  honest, 
manly,  patriotic  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  hero.  A  very  vivid  description 
of  the  battle  of  Trenton  is  also  found  in  this  story." — Journal  of 
Education. 

A  Yankee  Lad's  Pluck.     How  Bert  Larkin  Saved  his 

Fathers  Ranch  in  Porio  Rico.    By  Wm.  P.  Chipman.    12mo,  cloth,  illus- 
trated, price  $1.00. 

"Bert  Larkin,  the  hero  of  the  story,  early  excites  our  admiration, 
and  is  altogether  a  fine  character  such  as  boys  will  delight  in,  whilst 
the  story  of  his  numerous  adventures  is  very  graphically  told.  This 
will,  we  think,  prove  one  of  the  most  popular  boys'  books  this  season." — 
Gazette. 

A  Brave  Defense.     A   Story  of  the  Massacre  at   Fort 

Griswold  in  1781.    By  William  P.  Chipman.    ]2iiio,  cloth,  illustrated,  price 

$1.00. 

Perhaps  no  more  gallant  fight  against  fearful  odds  took  place  during 
the  Revolutionary  War  than  that  at  Fort  Griswold,  Groton  Heights,  Conn., 
In  1781.  The  boys  are  real  boys  who  were  actually  on  the  muster  rolls, 
either  at  Fort  Trumbull  on  the  New  London  side,  or  of  .Fort  Griswold  on 
the  Groton  side  of  the  Thames.  The  youthful  reader  who  follows  Halsey 
Sanford  and  Levi  Dart  and  Tom  Malloson,  and  their  equally  brave  com- 
rades, through  their  thrilling  adventures  will  be  learning  something  more 
than  historical  facts;  they  will  be  Imbibing  lessons  of  fidelity,  of  bravery, 
of  heroism,  and  of  manliness,  which  must  prove  serviceable  in  the  arena 
of  life. 

The  Young  Minuteman.     A  Story  of  the  Capture  of 

General  Prescott  in  1777.    By  William  P.  Chipman.    12rao,  cloth,  illustrated, 

price  $1.00. 

This  story  is  based  upon  actual  events  which  occurred  during  the  British 
occupation  of  the  waters  of  Narragansett  Bay.  Darius  Wale  and  William 
Northrop  belong  t0|  "the  coast  patrol."  The  story  is  a  strong  one,  dealing 
only  with  actual  events.  There  is,  however,  no  lack  of  thrilling  adventure, 
and  every  lad  who  is  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  the  book  will  find  not 
only  that  his  historical  knowledge  is  increased,  but  that  his  own  patriotism 
and  love  of  country  are  deepened. 

For  the  Temple:     A  Tale  of  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  S.  J.  Solomon.  12mo,  cloth,  oUvine 
edges,  price  $1.00. 

"Mr.  Henty's  graphic  prose  picture  of  the  hopeless  Jewish  resistance 
to  Roman  sway  adds  another  leaf  to  his  record  of  the  famous  wars  of 
the  world.     The  book  is  one  of  Mr.   Henty's  cleverest  efforts."— Graphio. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher.   A,   L.  BUBT,   S2-68  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


8  A.  L.  BURT^S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS.  ~^ 

Eoy  Gilbert's  Search:     A  Tale  of  the  Great  Lakes.    By 

Wm.  p.  Chipman.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

A  deep  mystery  hangs  over  the  parentage  of  Roy  Gilbert.  He  arranges 
with  two  schoolmates  to  make  a  tour  of  the  Great  Lakes  on  a  steam 
launch.  The  three  boys  visit  many  points  of  Interest  on  the  lakes. 
Afterwards  the  lads  rescue  an  elderly  gentleman  and  a  lady  from  a  sink- 
ing yacht.  Later  on  the  boys  narrowly  escape  with  their  lives.  The 
hero  Is  a  manly,  self-reliant  boy,  whose  adventures  will  be  followed 
with    Interest. 

The  Slate  Picker:     The  Story  of  a  Boy's  Life  in  the 

Coal  Mines.    By  Harry  Prenticb.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

This  is  a  story  of  a  boy's  life  in  the  coal  mines  of  Pennsylvania. 
Ben  Burton,  the  hero,  had  a  hard  road  to  travel,  but  by  grit  and  energy 
he  advanced  step  by  step  until  he  found  himself  called  upon  to  fill  the 
position  of  chief  engineer  of  the  Kohlnoor  Coal  Company.  This  is  a 
book  of  extreme  interest  to  every  boy  reader. 

The  Boy  Cruisers;  or,  Paddling  in  Florida.     By  St. 

George  Rathbornb.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00 
Andrew  George  and  Rowland  Carter  start  on  a  canoe  trip  along  the 
Gulf  coast,  from  Key  West  to  Tampa,  Florida.  Their  first  adventure 
Is  with  a  pair  of  rascals  who  steal  their  boats.  Next  they  run  Into 
a  gale  in  the  Gulf.  After  that  they  have  a  lively  time  with  alli- 
gators and  Andrew  gets  into  trouble  with  a  band  of  Seminole  Indians. 
Mr.  Rathborne  knows  just  how  to  interest  the  boys,  and  lads  who  are 
in  search  of  a  rare  treat  will  do  well  to  read  this  entertaining  story. 

Captured  by  Zulus:     A  Story  of'  Trapping  in  Africa. 

By  Harry  Prentice.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

This  story  details  the  adventures  of  two  lads,  Dick  Blsworth  and  Bob 
Harvc-y,  in  the  wilds  of  South  Africa.  By  stratagem  the  Zulus  capture 
Dick  and  Bob  and  take  them  to  their  principal  kraal  or  vlllagt^.  The 
lads  escape  death  by  dig  ing  their  way  out  of  the  prison  hut  by  night. 
They  are  pursued,  but  the  Zulus  finally  give  up  pursuit.  Mr.  Prentice 
tells  exactly  how  wild-beast  collectors  secure  specimens  on  their  native 
stamping  grounds,  and  these  descriptions  make  very  entertaining  reading. 

Tom  the  Ready;  or.  Up  from  the  Lowest.  By  Ran- 
dolph Hill.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

This  is  a  dramatic  narrative  of  the  unaided  rise  of  a  fearless,  ambi- 
tious boy  from  the  lowest  round  of  fortune's  ladder  to  wealth  and  the 
governorship  of  his  native  State.  Tom  Seacomb  begins  life  with  a  pur- 
pose, and  eventuall.v  overcomes  those  who  oppose  him.  How  he  manages 
to  win  the  battle  is  told  by  Mr.  Hill  in  a  masterfrl  way  that  thrills 
the  reader  and  holds  his  attention  and  sympathy  to  the  end. 

Captain  Eidd's  Gold:  The  True  Story  of  an  Adven- 
turous Sailor  Boy.  By  James  Franklin  Fitts.  ISino,  cloth,  illustrated, 
price  $1.00. 

There  Is  something  fascinating  to  the  average  youth  In  the  very  idea 
of  buried  treasure.  A  vision  arises  before  his  eyes  of  swarthy  Portu- 
guese and  Spanish  rascals,  with  black  beards  and  gleaming  eyes.  There 
were  many  famous  sea  rovers,  but  none  more  celebrated  than  Capt.  Kidd. 
Paul  Jones  Garry  inherits  a  document  which  locates  a  considerable 
treasure  buried  by  two  of  Klrtd's  crew.  The  hero  of  this  book  is  an 
ambitious,  persevering  lad,  of  salt-water  New  England  ancestry,  and  his 
efforts  to  reach  the  Island  and  secure  the  money  form  one  of  the  most 
absorbing    tales    for    our   youth    that    has    come    from    the    press. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.   L.   BVBT,   62-68  Buane  Street,   New  York. 


A.  L.  BUBT^S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.  9 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

The  Boy  Explorers:     The  Adventures  of  Two  Boys  in 

Alaska.    By  Harry  Prentice.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

Two  boys,  Raymond  and  Spencer  Manning,  trayol  to  Alaska  to  Join 
their  father  In  search  of  their  uncle.  On  their  arrival  at  Sitka  the  boys 
with  an  Indian  guide  set  off  across  the  mountains.  The  trip  Is  fraught 
with  perils  that  test  the  lads'  courarro  to  the  utmost.  All  through  their 
exciting  adventures  the  lads  demonstrate  wliat  can  be  accomplished  by 
pluck  and  resolution,  and  their  experience  makes  one  of  the  most  In- 
teresting   tal^   ever    written. 

The    Island    Treasure;    or,    Harry    Darrel's    Fortune. 

By  Frank  H.  Converse.    ISmo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

Harry  Darrel,  having  received  a  nautical  training  on  a  scbool-shlp,  la 
bent  on  going  to  sea.  A  runaway  horse  changes  his  prospects.  Harry 
saves  Dr.  Gregg  from  drowning  and  afterward  becomes  sailing-master 
of  a  sloop  yacht.  Mr.  Converse's  stories  possess  a  charm  of  their  own 
which  is  appreciated  by  lads  who  delight  in  good  healthy  tales  that 
smack   of  salt  water. 

Guy  Harris:     The  Eunaway.     By  Harry  Castlemon. 

13tno,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

Guy  Harris  lived  In  a  small  city  on  the  shore  of  one  of  the  Great 
Lakes.  He  is  persuaded  to  go  to  sea,  and  gets  a  glimpse  of  the  rough 
side  of  life  in  a  sailor's  boarding  house.  He  ships  on  a  vessel  and  for 
five  months  leads  a  hard  life.  The  book  will  interest  boys  generally 
on  account  of  Its  graphic  style.  This  is  one  of  Castlemon's  most  attract- 
ive stories. 

Julian  Mortimer:     A  Brave  Boy's  Struggle  for  Plome 

and  Fortune.    By  Harry  Castlemon.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1. 

The  scene  of  the  story  lies  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  in  the  days 
when  emigrants  made  their  perilous  way  across  the  great  plains  to  the 
land  of  gold.  There  is  an  attack  upon  the  wagon  train  by  a  large  party 
of  Indians.  Our  hero  Is  a  ?ad  of  uncommon  nerve  and  pluck.  Befriended 
by  a  stalwart  trapper,  a  real  rough  diamond,  our  hero  achieves  the  most 
happy  results. 

By  Pike  and  Dyke :     A  Tale  of  the  Else  of  the  Dutch 

Republic.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With   illustrations   by   Maynard   Brown. 

13mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"Boys  with  a  turn  for  historical  research  will  be  enchanted  with  the 
book,  while  the  rest  who  only  care  for  adventure  will  be  students  In  splto 
of  themselves." — St.   James's  Gazette. 

St.  George  for  England:  A  Tale  of  Cressy  and  Poi- 
tiers. By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Gordon  3rownk.  12mo, 
cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"A  story  of  very  great  interest  for  boys.  In  his  own  forcible  style 
the  author  has  endeavored  to  show  that  determination  and  enthusiasm 
can  accomplish  marvellous  results;  and  that  courage  is  generally  accom- 
panied by   magnanimity   and  gentleness." — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

Captain  Bayley's  Heir:     A  Tale  of  the  Gold  Fields  of 

California.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  H.  M.  Paget.    12mo: 

cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"Mr.  Henty  is  careful  to  mingle  instruction  with  entertainment;  and 
the  humorous  touches,  especially  in  the  sketch  of  John  HoU,  the  West- 
minster dustman,  Dickens  himself  could  hardly  have  excelled.  — l-hns- 
tian  Leader. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  68-68  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


10       A.  L.  BURT'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  boys]  ^^ 

Budd  Boyd's  Triumph;  or.  The  Boy  Firm  of  Fox  Island. 

By  William  P.  Chipman.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

Tlie  scene  of  this  story  Is  laid  oa  the  upper  part  of  Narragansett  Bay, 
and  the  leading  incidents  have  a  strong  salt-water  flavor.  The  two 
boys,  Budd  Bojd  and  Judd  Floyd,  being  ambitious  and  clear  sighted, 
form  a  partnership  to  catch  and  sell  fish.  Budd's  pluck  and  good  sense 
carry  him  through  many  troubles.  In  following  the  career  of  the  boy 
firm  of  Boyd  &  Floyd,  the  youthful  reader  will  find  a  useful  lesson — 
that  industry  and  perseverance  are  bound  to  lead  to  ultimate  success. 

lost  in  the  Canyon :     Sam  Willett's  Adventures  on  the 

Great  Colorado.  By  Alfred  R.  Calhoun.  ISnio,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1, 
This  story  hinges  on  a  fortune  left  to  Sam  Willett,  the  hero,  and  the 
fact  that  it  will  pass  to  a  disreputable  relative  if  the  lad  dies  before 
he  shall  have  reached  his  majority.  The  story  of  his  father's  peril  and 
of  Sam's  desperate  trip  down  the  great  canyon  on  a  raft,  and  how  the 
party  finally  escape  from  their  perils  is  described  In  a  graphic  style 
that  stamps  Mr.  Calhoun  as  a  master  of  his  art. 

Captured  by  Apes:      The  Wonderful  Adventures  of  a 

Younp:  Animal  Trainer.    By  Harbx  Prentice.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated. 

price  $1.(X). 

Philip  Garland,  a  young  animal  collector  and  trainer,  sets  sail  for 
Eastern  seas  in  quest  of  a  new  stock  of  living  curiosities.  The  vessel 
Is  wrecked  off  the  coast  of  Borneo,  and  young  Garland  Is  cast  ashore 
on  a  small  island,  and  captured  by  the  apes  that  overrun  the  place. 
Very  novel  indeed  is  the  way  by  which  thfe  young  man  escapes  death. 
Mr.  Prentice  is  a  writer  of  undoubted  skill. 

Under  Drake's  Flag:     A  Tale  of  the  Spanish  Main. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.     12mo,  cloth, 

oliviue  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"There  Is  not  a  dull  chapter,  nor.  Indeed,  a  dull  page  in  the  book;  but 
the  author  has  so  carefully  worked  up  his  subject  that  the  exciting 
deeds  of  his  heroes  are  never  incongruous  nor  absurd." — Observer. 

By  Sheer  Pluck:    A  Tale  of  the  Ashanti  War.    By 

G.  A.  Hentt.    With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.    12mo,  cloth,  olivine 

edges,  price  $1.00. 

The  author  has  woven.  In  a  tale  of  thrilling  Interest,  all  the  details 
of  the  Ashanti  campaign,  of  which  he  was  himself  a  witness. 

"Mr.  Henty  keeps  up  his  reputation  as  a  writer  of  boys'  stories.  'By 
Sheer  Pluck'  will  be  eagerly  read." — Athenaeum. 

With  Lee  in  Virginia:     A  Story  of  the  American  Civil 

War.    By  Q.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne     12mo, 

cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"One  of  the  best  stories  for  lads  which  Mr.  Henty  has  yet  written. 
The  picture  is  full  of  life  and  color,  and  the  stirring  and  romantic  Inci- 
dents are  skillfully  blended  with  the  personal  interest  and  charm  of  the 
story. " — Standard. 

By  England's  Aid;  or,  The  Freeing  of  the  Netherlands 

(1585-1601).    ByG.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  Alfred  Pearsb.    12mo. 

cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"It  is  an  admirable  book  for  youngsters.  It  overflows  with  stirring 
Incident  and  exciting  adventure,  and  the  color  of  the  era  and  of  the 
scene  are  finely  reproduced.     The  illustrations  add  to  its  attractiveness."— 

Boston  Gazette.  ___^____ 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpotd  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  52-58  Suane  SUeet,  New  York. 


A.  L.  BUET-'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.        11 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

By  Bight  of  Conquest;  or.    With    Cortez  in   Mexico. 

By  G.   A.  Hentt.    "With  illustrations  by  W.  S.  Stacky.    12mo,  cloth, 

olivine  edges,  price  $1.50. 
•'The  conquest  of  Mexico  by  a  small  band  of  resolute  men  under  the 
magnldcent  leadership  of  Cortez  is  always  rightfully  ranked  aniongr  the  most 
romantic  and  daring  exploits  in  history.  'By  Rlt;ht  of  Conquest'  Is  the 
neaiest  approach  to  a  perfectly  successful  taUtorlcal  tale  that  Mr.  Henty 
has  yet  published." — Academy. 

For  Name  and  Fame;   or,  Through  Afghan  Passes. 

By  G.  A.  Hknty.    With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Brownb.    12nio,  cloth, 

olivine  edges,  price  $1 .00. 

"Not  only  a  rousing  story,  replete  with  all  the  varied  forms  of  excite- 
ment of  a  campaign,  but,  what  is  still  more  useful,  an  account  of  a 
territory  and  its  inhabitants  which  must  for  a  long  time  possess  a  supremtt 
Interest  for  Englishmen,  as  being'  the  key  to  our  luuian  Empire."— 
Glasgow  Herald. 

The  Bravest  of  the  Brave;  or.  With  Peterborough  in 

Spain.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  H.  M,   Paget.    12mo 

cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  81-00. 

"Mr.  Henty  never  loses  sight  of  the  moral  purpose  of  his  work — to 
enforce  the  doctrine  of  courage  and  truth,  mercy  and  loving  kindness, 
as  Indispensable  to  the  making  of  a  gentleman.  Boys  will  read  'Th« 
Bravest  of  the  Brave'  with  pleasure  and  proUt;  of  that  we  arg  qolte 
sure." — Daily    Telegraph. 

The  Cat  of  Bubastes :  A  Story  of  Ancient  Egjrpt.    By 

G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations.    12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  81.00. 

"The  story,  from  the  critical  moment  of  the  killing  of  the  sacred  cat 
to  the  perilous  exodus  into  Asia  with  which  it  closes,  is  very  skillfully 
constructed  and  full  of  exciting  adventures.  It  Is  admirably  Illustrated.  ' 
— Saturday  Review. 

Bonnie  Prince  Charlie:    A  Tale  of  Fontenoy  and  Cul- 

loden.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.    12mo, 

cloth,  olivine  e<lges,  price  $1.00. 

"Ronald,  the  hero,  is  very  like  the  hero  of  'Quentln  Durward.'  Th« 
lad's  journey  across  France,  and  his  hairbreadth  escapes,  makes  up  as 
good  a  narrative  of  the  kind  as  we  have  ever  read.  For  freshness  of 
treatment  and  variety  of  Incident  Mr.  Henty  has  surpassed  himself."— 
Spectator. 

With  Clive  in  India;  or.  The  Beginnings  of  an  Empire. 

By  G.  a.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.    12mo,  cloth, 

ouvine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"He  has  taken  a  period  of  Indian  history  of  the  most  vital  Impor- 
tance, and  he  has  embroidered  on  the  historical  facts  a  story  which  of 
Itself  is  deeply  interesting.  'Xoung  people  assuredly  will  be  delighted 
with  the   volume." — Scotsman. 

In  the  Reign  of  Terror:  The  Adventures  of  a  West- 
minster Boy.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  J.  SchBnbkeo. 
12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"Harrv  Sandwith,  the  Westminster  boy,  may  fairly  be  said  to  beat 
Mr.  Henty's  record.  His  adventures  will  delight  boys  by  the  audacity 
and  peril  they  depict.  The  story  is  one  of  Mr.  Henty's  best." — Saturday 
Eeview.  

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L,  BUBT,  68-58  Suaue  Street,  New  York. 


12       A.  li.  BURT^S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

The  Lion  of  the  North:    A  Tale  of  Gustavus  Adolphus 

and  the  Wars  of  Religion.    By  Q.  A.  Hkntt.    With  illustrations  by  John 

SchOnbkrg.    12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"A  praiseworthy  attempt  to  interest  British  youth  In  the  great  deeds 
Of  the  Scotch  Brigade  In  the  wars  of  Gustavus  Adolphus.  Mackey,  Hep- 
bam,  and  Munro  live  again  In  Mr.  Henty's  pages,  as  those  deserve  to 
live  whose  disciplined  bands  formed  really  the  germ  of  the  modem 
British  army." — Atheneum, 

The  Dragon  and  the  Raven;    or,   The   Days  of  King 

Alfred.    By  G.  A.  Hknty.    With  illustrations  by  C.  J.  Staniland.    12mo, 

cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

In  this  story  the  author  gives  an  account  of  the  fierce  straggle  be- 
tween Saxon  and  Dane  for  supremacy  In  England,  and  presents  a  vivid 
picture  of  the  misery  and  ruin  to  which  the  country  was  reduced  by  the 
ravages  of  the  sea-wolves.  The  story  Is  treated  in  a  manner  most  at- 
tractive to  the  boyish  reader." — Athenaeum, 

The  Young  Carthaginian:     A  Story  of  the  Times  of 

Hannibal.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  C.  J.  Staniland.  ISmo, 

cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"Well  constracted  and  vividly  told.  From  first  to  last  nothing  stays 
the  Interest  of  the  narrative.  It  bears  us  along  as  on  a  stream  whose 
current  varies  In  direction,  but  never  loses  Its  force." — Saturday  Review. 

In  Freedom's  Cause:     A  Story  of  Wallace  and  Bruce. 

By  G.  A.  Hknty.    With  illustrations  by  GdRDON  Brownb.    12mo,  cloth, 

olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"It  is  written  In  the  author's  best  style.  Full  of  the  wildest  and  most 
remarltable  achievements.  It  Is  a  tale  of  great  Interest,  which  a  boy.  once 
he  has  begun  it,  will  not  willingly  put  one  side." — The  Schoolmaster. 

"With  Wolfe  in  Canada;  or,  The  Winning  of  a  Con- 
tinent. By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.  12mo, 
cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"A  model  of  what  a  boys'  story-book  should  be.  Mr.  Henty  has  a 
great  power  of  Infusing  Into  the  dead  facts  of  history  new  life,  and  as 
no  pains  are  spared  by  him  to  ensure  accuracy  In  historic  details,  his 
books  supply  useful  aids  to  study  as  well  as  amusement." — Sohool  Guard- 
ian. 

True  to  the  Old  Flag :    A  Tale  of  the  American  War  of 

Independence.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Brownb, 

12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"Does  justice  to  the  pluck  and  determination  of  the  British  sollders 
during  the  unfortunate  struggle  against  American  emancipation.  The  son 
of  an  American  loyalist,  who  remains  true  to  our  flag,  falls  among  the 
bostile  red-skins  in  that  very  Huron  country  which  has  been  endeared 
to  us  by   the   exploits   of   Hawkeye   and   Chlngachgook." — The  Times. 

A  Final  Reckoning:    A    Tale  of  Bush   Life  in  Aus- 
tralia.   By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  W.  B.  Wollen.    12mo, 
clotii,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 
"All  boys  wIU  read  this  story  with  eager  and  unflagging  Interest.    The 

episodes  are  in  Mr.    Henty's  very  best  vein — graphic,   exciting,   realistic; 

and,  as  in  all  Mr.  Henty's  books,  the  tendency  Is  to  the  formation  of  an 

honorable,    manly,    and   even   heroic   character." — Birmingham   Post. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BUST,  62-58  Duane  Street,  Kew  York. 


A.  L.  BURT^S  BOOKS  FOE  YOUNG  PEOPLE.        13 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

The  Lion  of  St.  Mark:    A  Tde  of  Venice  in  the  Four- 
teenth Century.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browmk. 
12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  81.00. 
"Every  boy  should  read  'The  Lion  of  St.  Mark.'    Mr.  Henty  has  never 

produced  a  story  more  delightful,  more  wholesome,  or  more  vivacious." — 

Saturday    Review. 

Facing  Death;  or.  The  Hero  of  the  Vaughan  Pit.    A 

Tale  of  the  Coal  Mines.    By  Q.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  Gordon 

Browne.    13mc,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"The  tale  is  well  written  and  well  Illustrated,  and  there  is  much 
reality  In  the  characters.  If  any  father,  clergyman,  or  schoolmaster 
Is  on  the  lookout  for  a  good  book  to  give  as  a  present  to  a  boy  who  Is 
worth  his  salt,  this  Is  the  book  we  would  recommend."— Standard. 

Maori  and  Settler:      A  Story  of  the  New  Zealand  War. 

By  G.  a.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  Alfred  Pkarse.    12mo,  cloth. 

olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"In  the  adventures  among  the  Maoris,  there  are  many  breathless 
moments  in  which  the  odds  seem  hopelessly  against  the  party,  but  they 
succeed  In  establishing  themselves  happily  In  one  of  the  pleasant  New 
Zealand  valleys.  It  is  brimful  of  adventure,  of  humorous  and  interesting 
conversation,   and  vivid   pictures  of  colonial  life." — Schoolmaster. 

One  of  the  28th:    A  Tale  of  Waterloo.    By  G.  A. 

Henty.    With  illustrations  by  W.  H.  Ovbrend.      12mo,    cloth,  olivine 

edges,  price  $1.00. 
"Written  with  Homeric  vigor  and  heroic  Inspiration.  It  is  graphic, 
picturesque,  and  dramatically  effective  .  .  .  shows  us  Mr.  Hent.v  at 
his  best  and  brightest.  The  adventures  will  hold  a  boy  enthralled  as  he 
rushes  through  them  with  breathless  Interest  'from  cover  to  cover.'  " — 
Observer. 

Orange  and  Green :    A  Tale  of  the  Boyne  and  Limer- 
ick.   By  G.  A.  Henty.     With  illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.     12mo, 
cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 
"The  narrative  Is  free    from    the  vice    of    prejudice,  and    ripples    with 

life  as  If  what  is  being  described  were  really  passing  before  the  eye." — 

Belfast   News-Letter. 

Through  the  Fray:    A  Story  of   the   Luddite   Riots. 

aG.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations  by  H.  M.  Paget.    ]2mo,  cloth,  olivine 
^es,  price  $1.00. 
"Mr.  Henty  inspires  a  love  and  admiration  for  straightforwardness,  truth 
and    courage.     This    is   one    of    the    best    of    the    many    good    books    Mr. 
Henty  has  produced,  and  deserves  to  be  classed  with  his  'Facing  Death.'  " 
— Standard. 

The  Young  Midshipman:  A  Story  of  the  Bombard- 
ment of  Alexandria.  With  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edgesi 
price  $1.00. 

A  coast  fishing  lad,  by  an  act  of  heroism,  secures  the  Interest  of 
a  shipowner,  who  places  him  as  an  apprentice  on  board  one  of  his  ships. 
In  company  with  two  of  his  fellow-apprentices  he  is  left  behind,  at 
Alexandria,  In  the  hands  of  the  revolted  Egyptian  troops,  and  is  present 
through  the  bombardment  and  the  scenes  of  riot  and  bloodshed  which 
accompanied  It. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,  52-68  Duane  Street,  Nevtr  York. 


11       A.  L.  BURT'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

In    Times    of    Peril.     A  Tale  of    India.    By  G.  A. 

HiafTY.    With  illustrations.    12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

The  hero  of  the  story  early  excites  our  admiration,  and  Is  altogether 
a  fine  character  such  as  boys  will  delight  in,  whilst  the  story  of  the 
campaign  Is  very  graphically  told." — St.  James's  Gazette. 

The  Corned  of  Horse :    A  Tale  of  Marlborough's  Wars. 

By  Q.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations.    12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1. 

"Mr.  Henty  not  only  concocts  a  thrilling  tale,  he  weaves  fact  and  fiction 
together  with  so  skillful  a  hand  that  the  reader  cannot  help  acquiring  a 
just  and  clear  view  of  that  fierce  and  terrible  struggle  known  as  the 
Crimean  War." — Athenaeum. 

The  Young  Franc-Tireurs :    Their  Adventures  in  the 

Franco-Prussian  War.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations.    ISmo,  cloth, 

olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

*'A  capital  book  for  boys.  It  is  bright  and  readable,  and  full  of  good 
sense  and  manliness.  It  teaches  pluck  and  patience  in  adversity,  and 
shows   that   riglit   living   leads   to   success." — Observer, 

The  Young  Colonists:    A  Story  of  Life  and  War  in 

South  Africa.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations.    12mo,  cloth,  oliyine 

edges,  price  $1.00. 

"No  boy  needs  to  have  any  story  of  Henty's  recommended  to  him,  and 
parents  who  do  not  know  and  buy  them  for  their  boys  should  be  ashamed 
of  themselves.  Those  to  whom  he  is  yet  unknown  could  not  make  a 
better   beginning   than   with    this   book.  i 

The  Young  Buglers.     A  Tale  of  the  Peninsular  War. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations.    ISmo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1. 

"Mr.  Henty  Is  a  giant  among  boys'  writers,  and  his  books  are  suffi- 
ciently popular  to  be  sure  of  a  welcome  anywhere.  In  stirring  Interest, 
this  Is  quite  up  to  the  level  of  Mr.  Henty's  former  historical  tales." — 
Saturday  Review. 

Sturdy  and  Strong;  or,  How  George  Andrews  Made  his 

Way.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations.    ISmo.  cloth,  olivine  edges, 

price  $1.00. 

"The  history  of  a  hero  of  everyday  life,  whose  love  of  tr  th,  clothing  of 
modesty,  and  innate  pluck,  carry  him,  naturally,  from  poverty  to  afflu- 
ence. George  Andrews  is  an  example  of  character  with  nothing  to  cavil 
at,  and  stands  as  a  good  instance  of  chivalry  in  domestic  life." — The 
Empire. 

Among  Malay  Pirates.    A    Story  of   Adventure    and 

Peril.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations.    12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges, 

price  $1.00. 

"Incident  succeeds  Incident,  and  adventure  is  piled  upon  adventure, 
and  at  the  end  the  reader,  be  he  boy  or  man,  will  have  experienced 
breathless  enjoyment  In  a  romantic  story  that  must  have  taught  him 
much   at   Its   close." — Army  and  Navy  Gazotte. 

Jack  Archer.     A    Tale   of   the    Crimea.     By  G.  A. 

Henty.    With  illustrations.    12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"Mr.  Henty  not  only  concocts  a  thrilling  i-to,  he  weaves  fact  and  fiction 
together  with  so  skillful  a  hand  that  the  reader  cannot  help  acquiring  a 
Just  and  clear  view  of  that  fierce  and  terrible  struggle." — ^Athenteum, 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,   62-68  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


A.  L.  BUKT^S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.        15 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Friends,  Though  Divided.    A  Tale  of  the  Civil  War. 

By  y.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations.     12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1. 

"It  has  a  good  plot;  It  abounds  In  action;  the  scenes  are  equally  spirited 
and  realistic,  and  we  can  only  say  we  have  read  It  with  much  pleasura 
from  first   to  last." — Times. 

Out  on  the  Pampas;    or,    The    Young    Settlers.    By 

G.  A.  Henty.    With  illustrations.    12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"A  really  noble  story,  which  adult  readers  will  find  to  the  full  as  satis- 
fying as  the  boys.  Lucky  boys!  to  have  such  a  caterer  as  Mr.  G.  A. 
Henty." — Black  and  White. 

The  Boy  Knight:      A  Tale  of  the  Crusades.    By  G.  A. 

Henty.    With  Olustrations.    12mo,  cloth,  olivine  edges,  price  $1.00. 

"Of  stirring  episode  there  Is  no  lack.  The  book,  with  Its  careful  accu- 
racy and  Its  descriptions  of  all  the  chief  battles,  will  give  many  a  school- 
boy his  first  real  understanding  of  a  very  important  period  of  history." — 
St.  James's  Gazette. 

The  Wreck  of  the  Golden  Fleece.     The  Story  of  a  North 

Sea  Fisher  Boy.    By  Robert  Leighton.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1. 

A  description  of  life  on  the  wild  North  Sea. — the  hero  being  a  parson's 
son  who  is  appreciated  on  board  a  Lowestoft  fishing  lugger.  The  lad  has 
te  suffer  many  buffets  from  his  shipmates,  while  the  storms  and  dangers 
which  he  braved  on  board  the  "North  Star"  are  set  forth  with  minute 
knowledge  and  intense  power.  The  wreck  of  the  "Golden  Fleece"  forms 
the  climax  to  a  thrilling  series  of  desperate  mischances. 

Olaf  the  Glorious.     A  Story  of  the  Viking  Age.    By 

Robert  Leighton.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1 .00. 

This  story  of  Olaf  the  Glorious,  King  of  Norway,  opens  with  the  Incident 
of  his  being  found  by  his  uncle  living  as  a  bond-slave  in  Esthonia:  then 
come  his  adventures  as  a  Viking  and  his  raids  upon  the  coasts  of  Scot- 
land and  England,  his  victorious  battle  against  the  English  at  Maldon  In 
Essex,  his  being  bought  off  by  Ethelred  the  Unready,  and  his  conversion 
to  Christianity.  He  then  returns  to  Pagan  Norway,  Is  accepted  as  king, 
and  converts  his  people  to  the  Christian  faith. 

To  Greenland  and  the  Pole.     A  story  of  Adventure  in 

the  Arctic  Regions.    By  Gordon  Stables.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  p-dce  $1. 

The  unfailing  fascination  of  Arctic  venturing  Is  presented  In  this  8,:ory 
tvith  new  vividness.  It  deals  with  skllobning  In  the  north  of  Scotland, 
deer-hunting  iu  Norway,  sealing  In  the  Arctic  Seas,  bear-stalking  on  the 
Ice-floes,  the  hardships  of  a  Journey  across  Greenland,  and  a  successful 
voyage  to  the  back  of  the  North  Pole.  This  Is,  Indeed,  a  real  sea-yarn 
by  a  real  sailor,  and  the  tone  Is  as  bright  and  wholesome  as  the  adventures 
are  numerous. 

Yussuf  the  Guide.      A    Story   of   Adventure  in   Asia 

Minor.    By  George  Manvii.le  Fenn.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  fl.OO. 

This  story  deals  with  the  stirring  incidents  In  the  career  of  a  lad  who  has 
been  almost  given  over  by  the  doctors,  but  who  rapidly  recovers  health 
and  strength  in  a  journey  through  Asia  Minor.  The  adventures  are  many, 
and  culminate  In  the  travellers  being  snowed  up  for  the  winter  In  the 
mountains,  from  which  they  escape  while  their  captors  are  waiting  for 
the  ransom  that  does  not  come. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A,  L.  BUET,  62-68  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


16        A.  L.  BURT^S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Grettir  the  Outlaw.    A  Story  of  Iceland.    By  S.  Bar- 

iNG-GouLD.    12ino,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"This  Is  the  boys'  book  of  the  year.  That  Is,  of  course,  as  much  as 
to  say  that  it  'will  do  for  men  grown  as  well  as  juniors.  It  Is  told  In 
simple,  straightforward  English,  as  all  stories  should  be,  and  it  has  a 
freshness   and   freedom   which   make   it   irresistible." — National   Observer. 

Two    Thousand    Years  Ago.      The   Adventures    of    a 

Roman  Boy.    By  A.  J.  Church,    liimo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  fl.OO. 

"Prof.  Church  has  In  this  story  sought  to  revivify  that  most  Interesting 
period,  the  last  days  of  the  Roman  Republic.  The  book  is  extremely  en- 
tertaining as  well  as  useful:  there  is  a  wonderful  freshness  in  the  Roman 
scenes  and  characters." — Times. 

Nat  the  Naturalist.  A  Boy's  Adventure  in  the  East- 
em  Seas.  By  Gkoegk  Makvillk  Fknn.  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1. 
Nat  and  his  uncle  Dick  go  on  a  voyage  to  the  remoter  Islands  nf  the 
Eastern  seas,  and  their  adventures  are  told  in  a  truthful  and  vastly  In- 
teresting fashion.  The  descriptions  of  Mr.  Ebony,  their  black  comrade, 
and  of  the  scenes  of  savage  life,  are  full  of  genuine  humor. 

The  Log  of  the  Flying  Fish.      A  Story  of  Peril  and 

Adventure.    By  Harry  Collingwood.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1. 

"This  story  Is  full  of  even  more  vividly  recounted  adventures  than  those 
whicli  charmed  so  many  boy  readers  in  'Pirate  Island*  and  'Congo  Rovers.' 
.  .  .  There  is  a  thrilling  adventure  on  the  precipices  of  Mount  Everest, 
when  the  ship  floats  off  and  providentially  returns  by  force  of  'gravita- 
tion.' " — Academy. 

The  Congo  Rovers.     A  Story  of  the   Slave   Squadron. 

By  Harry  Colungwood.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  {1.00. 

"The  scene  of  this  tale  Is  laid  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  and  in  the 
lower  reaches  of  the  Congo;  the  characteristic  scenery  of  the  great  river 
being  delineated  with  wonderful  accuracy.  Mr.  Collingwood  carries  us  off 
for  another  cruise  at  sea,  in  'The  Congo  Trovers,'  and  boys  will  need  no 
pressing  to  join  the  daring  crew,  which  seeks  adventures  and  meets  with 
any  number  of  them." — The  Times. 

Boris  the  Bear  Hunter.    A  Tale  of  Peter  the  Great  and 

His  Times.    By  Fred  Wishaw.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 
"This  Is  a  capital  story.     The  characters  are  marked  and  lifelike,  and  it 
Is  full  of  Incident  and  adventure." — Standard. 

Michael  Strogoff ;  or,  The  Courier  of  the  Czar.    By 

Jules  Vkrne.    l2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"The  story  is  full  of  originality  and  vigor.  The  characters  are  lifelike, 
there  is  plenty  of  stirring  incident,  the  interest  Is  sustained  throughout, 
and  every  boy  will  enjoy  following  the  fortunes  of  the  hero." — Journal  of 
Education. 

Mother  Carey's  Chicken.     Her  Voyage  to  the  Unknown 

Isle.    By  George  Manville  Fenn.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  fl.OO. 

"Undoubtedly  one  of  the  best  Mr.  Fenn  has  written.  The  Incidents  are 
of  thrilling  Interest,  while  the  characters  are  drawn  with  a  care  and  com- 
pleteness rarely  found  in  a  boy's  book," — Literary  World. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L,  BURT,  fiii-58  Duane  Street,  ^ew  York. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  BOOKS  FOE  YOUNG  PEOPLE.        17 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Dick  Sand;   or,  A    Captain    at    Fifteen.     By  Jules 

Verne.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"Jules  Verne  himself  never  constructed  a  more  marvellous  tale.  It  con- 
tains the  strongly  marked  features  that  are  always  consDlcuous  in  bis 
stories — a  racy  humor,  the  manly  vigor  of  his  sentiment,  and  wholesome 
moral  lessons." — Christian  Leader, 

Erling  the  Bold.     A  Tale  of  the    Norse    Sea   Kings. 

By  R.  M.  BALX.ANTYNE.    12mo,  cloth.  Illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"This  volume  makes  a  really  fascinating  book,  worthy  of  its  telllni: 
title.  There  Is,  we  venture  to  say,  not  a  dull  chapter  in  the  book,  not 
a  page  which  will  not  bear  a  second  reading." — Guardian. 

Masterman  Ready;  or,  The  Wreck  of  the  Pacific.    By 

Captain  Marbyat.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"As  racy  a  tale  of  life  at  sea  and  adventure  as  we  have  met  with  for 
some  time.  .  .  .  Altogether  the  sort  of  book  that  boys  will  revel  in." 
— Atheneeum. 

The  Green  Mountain  Boys.    A  Tale  of  the  Early  Set- 
tlement of  Vennont.    By  D.  P.  Thompson.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1. 

A  story  of  very  great  interest  for  boys.  In  his  ovm  forcible  style  the 
author  has  endeavored  .to  show  that  determination  and  patriotic  enthu- 
siasm can  accomplish  marvellous  results.  This  story  gives  a  graphic  ac- 
count of  the  early  settlers  of  Vermont,  and  their  patriotic  efTorts  In  de- 
fending their  homes  from  the  invasions  of  enemies. 

Every  Inch  a  Sailor.     By   Goedon   Stables.     12nio, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"A  story  which  is  quite  as  good  in  its  way  as  'Treasure  Island,'  and  is 
full  of  adventure  of  a  stirring  yet  most  natural  kind.  Although  it  is 
primarily  a  boys'  book,  it  is  a  real  godsend  to  the  elderly  reader." — 
Evening  Times. 

The  Golden  Galleon.    A  Narrative    of   Adventure  on 

Her  Majesty's  Ship  the  Revenge.    By  Robert  Lbighton.     12mo,  cloth, 

illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"This  story  should  add  considerably  to  Mr.  Lelghton's  high  reputation. 
Excellent  in  every  respect,  it  contains  every  variety  of  incident.  The  plot 
is  very  cleverly  devised,  and  the  types  of  the  North  Sea  sailors  are 
capital." — The  Times, 

The  Gorilla  Hunters.    A  Tale  of  the  Wilds  of  Africa. 

By  R.  M.  Ballantyne.    12mo,  cloth,  iUustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"We  conscientiously  belive  that  boys  will  find  it  capital  reading.  It  Is 
full  of  incident  and  mystery,  and  the  mystery  is  kept  up  to  the  last 
moment.  It  Is  full  of  stirring  adventure,  daring  and  many  escapes:  and 
it  has  a  historical  interest." — Times. 

Gascoyne    the    Sandalwood    Trader.    By  K.  M.  Bal- 

LANTYNE.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  pri«e  $1.00. 

"One  of  the  best  stories  of  seafaring  life  and  adventure  which  have 
appeared  this  season.  Entertaining  In  the  highest  degree  from  beginning 
to  end,  and  full  of  adventure  which  is  all  the  livelier  for  Its  close  con- 
nection with  history." — Spectator. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BUBT,  62-68  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


18       A.  L.  BURT^S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Two  Years  Before  the  Mast.    A  Personal  ITarrative  of 

Life  at  Sea.    By  R.  H.  Dana,  Jr.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"One  of  the  very  best  books  for  boys  that  we  have  seen  for  a  long  time: 
Its  author  stands  far  in  advance  of  any  other  writer  for  boys  as  a  teller 
of  stories  of  the  sea." — The  Standard. 

The  Young  Eajah.    A  Story  of  Indian  Life.    By  W. 

H.  G.  Kingston.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  fl.OO. 

"This  story  will  place  the  author  at  once  in  the  front  rank.  It  is  full 
of  life  and  adventure,  and  the  interest  is  sustained  without  a  break  from 
first  to  last." — Standard. 

How  Jack  Mackenzie  "Won  His  Epaulettes.     A  Story 

of  the  Crimean  War.     By  Gordon  Stables.     12mo,  cloth,  illustrated, 

price  $1.00. 

"This  must  rank  among  the  few  undeniably  good  boys'  books.  He 
will  be  a  very  dull  boy  indeed  who  lays  it  down  without  wishing  that 
it  had  gone  on  for  at  least  100  pages  more." — Mail. 

The  King's  Pardon.    A  Story  of  Land  and  Sea.    By 

EoBBRT  Overton.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"An  excellent  story,  the  interest  being  sustained  from  first  to  last. 
This  is,  both  in  its  intention  and  the  way  the  story  is  told,  one  of  the 
best  books  of  its  kind  which  has  come  before  us  this  year." — Saturday 
Beview. 

Under  the  Lone  Star.     A  Story  of  the  Eevolution  in 

Nicaragua.    By  Herbert  Haynes.    12iiio,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"We  have  not  of  late  come  across  a  historical  fiction,  whether  Intended 
for  boys  or  for  men,  which  deserves  to  be  so  heartily  and  unreservedly 
praised  as  regards  plot.  Incidents,  and  spirit  as  this  book.  It  is  its  au- 
thor's masterpiece  as  yet." — Spectator. 

Geoff  and  Jim:  A  Story  of  School  Life.     By  Ismay 

Thorn.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"This  is  a  prettily  told  story  of  the  life  spent  by  two  motherless  bairns 
at  a  small  preparatory  school.  Both  Geoff  and  Jim  are  very  lovable  char- 
acters, only  Jim  is  the  more  so;  and  the  scrapes  he  gets  into  and  the 
trials  he  endures  will,  no  doubt,  interest  a  large  circle  of  young  readers." 
.—Church  Times. 

Jack:  A  Topsy  Turvy  Story.     By  C.  M.   Crawley- 

BoBVEY.    ]2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"The  illustrations  deserve  particular  mention,  as  they  add  largely  to 
the  interest  of  this  amusing  volume  for  children.  Jack  falls  asleep  with 
his  mind  full  of  the  subject  of  the  fishpond,  and  is  very  much  surprised 
presently  to  find  himself  an  inhabitant  of  Waterworld,  where  he  goes 
through  wonderful  and  edifying  adventures.  A  handsome  and  pleasant 
book." — Literary  World. 

Black  Beauty.     The  Autobiography  of  a  Horse.     By 

Anna  Sewell.    l2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

This  Is  the  life  story  of  a  horse;  how  he  was  ill  treated  and  well 
cared  for.  The  experiences  of  Black  Beauty,  Ginger,  and  Merrylegs  are 
extremely  Interesting.  Wherever  children  are,  whether  boys  or  girls,  there 
this  Autobiography  should  be.  It  inculcates  habits  of  kindness  to  all  mem- 
bers of  the  animal  creation.     The  literary  merit  of  the  book  is  excellent. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BVBT,  68-58  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


A.  L.  BURT^S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.        19 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

Mopsa  the  Fairy.     By  Jean  Ingelow.     12mo,  cloth, 

illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"Mrs.  Ingelow  is,  to  our  mind,  the  most  charming  of  all  living  wrltera 
for  children,  and  'Mopsa'  alone  ought  to  give  her  a  lilnd  of  pre-emptive 
right  to  the  love  and  gratitude  of  our  young  folks.  It  requires  genius 
to  conceive  a  purely  Imaginary  worli  which  must  of  necessity  deal  with 
the  supernatural,  without  running  Into  a  mere  riot  of  fantastic  absurdity; 
but  genius  Mrs.  Ingelow  has,  and  the  story  of  'Jacli'  is  as  careless  and 
Joyous,  but  as  delicate  as  a  picture  of  childhood." — Eclectic. 

Carrots:  Just  a  Little  Boy.     By  Mrs.  Molesworth. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"One  of  the  cleverest  and  most  pleasing  stories  It  has  been  our  good 
fortune  to  meet  with  for  some  time.  Carrots  and  his  sister  are  delight- 
ful little  beings,  whom  to  read  about  Is  at  once  to  become  very  fond  of. 
A  genuine  children's  boolv;  we've  seen  'em  seize  It,  and  read  it  greedilv. 
Children  are  first-rate  critics,  and  thoroughly  appreciate  Walter  Crane"'s 
illustrations. ' ' — Fimch. 

Larry's  Luck.     By  the  author  of  "Miss  Toosey's  Mis- 
sion."   18mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"It  Is  believed  that  this  story,  by  this  favorably  known  author  of 
'Miss  Toosey's  Mission,'  will  be  found  both  highly  Interesting  and  Instruc- 
tive to  the  young.  Whether  the  readers  are  nine  years  old,  or  twice  as 
old,   they  must  enjoy  this  pretty  volume." — The  Examiner. 

A  Child's  Christinas:  A  Sketch  of  Boy  Life.    By  Mrs. 

Molesworth.    ]2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"This  is  another  of  those  delightful  juvenile  stories  of  which  this  author 
has  written  so  many.  It  is  a  fascinating  little  book,  with  a  charming 
plot,  a  sweet,  pure  atmosphere,  and  teaches  a  wholesome  moral  in  the 
most  winning  manner." — Gazette. 

Chunk,  Fusky  and  Snout.    A  Story  of  Wild  Pigs  for 

Little  People.    By  Gerald  Yoiing.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"The  story  is  an  extremely  interesting  one,  full  of  incident,  told  in  a 
quiet,  healthful  way,  and  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasantly  interfused 
information  about  wild  pigs  and  their  ways.  It  is  sure  to  Interest  both 
boys  and  girls." — Christian  Union. 

Daddy's  Boy.     By  L.  T.  Meade.     ISmo,  cloth,  illus- 
trated, price  75  cents. 

"A  charming  story  of  child  life.  Little  Sir  Rowland  Is  one  of  the 
most  fascinating  of  the  misunderstood  child  heroes  of  the  day.  The  quaint 
doings  and  imaginings  of  this  gentle,  lovable,  but  highly  original  child  are 
Introduced  by  Mrs.  Meade,  with  all  her  accustomed  pathos." — Guardian. 

Adventures    of    Prince    Prigio.    By    Andrew   Lang. 

12aio,  cloth,  illustrate!,  pi  ice  75  cents. 

"This  book  has  so  much  charm  of  style  and  good  writing  that  It  will  be 
eagerly  read  by  many  other  than  the  young  folk  for  whom  it  is  Intended." 
— Black  and  White. 

A  Flock  of  Four.     A  Story  for  Boys  and  Girls.     By 

IsMAY  Thorn.    ISnio,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 
"As  a  gift  book  for  boys  It  Is  among  the  best  new  books  of  the  kind. 
The  story  is  interesting  and  natural,  from  first  to  last." — Gazette. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BURT,   52-58  Duane  Street,  New  York. 


20       A.  L.  BURT^S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

A  Flat  Iron  for  a  Farthing.    The  Story  of  an  Only 

Son.    By  Juliana  Hobatia  Ewinq.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"A  Tery  good  book  It  is,  full  of  adventure,  graphically  told.     The  style 

is  just  what  it  should  be;    simple  but  not  bold,   full  of  pleasant  humor, 

and  with   some  pretty  touches  of  feeling.     Like  all  Mrs.   Ewing's  tales. 

It  is  sound,  sensible,  and  wholesome." — ^Times. 

The  Greek  Heroes.    Fairy  Tales  for  My  Children.    By 

Charles  Kingsley.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"We  do  not  think  these  heroic  stories  have  ever  been  more  attractively 
told.  .  .  There  is  a  deep  under-current  of  religious  feeling  traceable 
throughout  its  pages  which  is  sure  to  Influence  young  readers  power- 
fully. One  of  the  children's  books  that  will  surely  become  a  classic." — 
London  Review. 

Jackanapes.     By  Juliana  Horatia  Ewing.     12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"This  Is  one  of  Mrs.  Ewing's  charming  little  stories  for  young  children. 
The  narrative  ...  is  full  of  interest  for  its  real  grace  and  delicacy, 
and  the  exquisiteness  and  purity  of  the  English  in  which  it  is  written." — 
Boston  Advertiser. 

Princess  and  Curdie.    By  George  Macdonald.    12mo, 

cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"One  of  the  cleverest  and  most  pleasing  stories  it  has  been  our  good 
fortune  to  meet  with  for  some  time.  The  Princess  and  Curdie  are  delight- 
ful little  beings,  whom  to  read  about  is  at  once  to  become  very  fond  of." 
—Examiner.  ^ 

Peter  the  Pilgrim.     The  Story  of  a  Boy  and  His  Pet 

Rabbit.    By  L.  T.  Meade.    13mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"Little  Peter,  with  his  soft  heart,  clever  head,  and  brave  spirit  is  no 
morbid  presentment  of  the  angelic  child  'too  good  to  live,'  and  who  is 
certainly  a  nuisance  on  earth,  but  a  charming  creature,  if  not  a  por- 
trait, whom  it  is  a  privilege  to  meet  even  in  fiction." — The  Academy. 

We  and  the  World.    A  Story  for  Boys.    By  Juliana 

Horatia  Ewinq.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"The  author  has  evidently  studied  the  ways  and  tastes  of  children  and 
got  at  the  secret  of  amusing  them;  and  has  succeeded  in  what  is  not 
so  easy  a  task  as  it  may  seem — in  producing  a  really  good  children's 
book." — Daily  Telegraph. 

Little    Ivan's    Hero.     A    Story    of    Child    Life.    By 

Helen  Milman.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"We  should  Imagine  those  queer  folk  indeed  who  could  not  read  this 
story  with  eager  Interest  and  pleasure,  be  they  boys  or  girls,  young  or 
old.  We  highly  commend  the  style  In  Which  the  book  Is  written,  and  the 
spirit  which  pervades  it." — World. 

Dick,  Marjorie  and  Fidge.     The  Wonderful  Adventures 

of  Three  Little  People.    By  G.  E.  Farhow.    12mo,  cloth,  illust'd,  price  75c. 

"...  To  the  young,  for  whom  It  is  especially  intended,  this  Is  a 
most  interesting  book  of  adventures,  well  told,  and  a  pleasant  book  to 
take  up  when  their  wish  Is  to  while  away  a  weary  half-hour.  We  have 
seen  no  prettier  gift-book  for  a  long  time." — Athenseum. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BTT&T,  52-58  Duane  Street,  New  Tork. 


A.  L.  BURT^S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.        21 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS.  ~~ 

A  Wonder  Book:   For  Boys  and  Girls.     Comprising 

Stories  of  Classical  Fables.     By  Nathaniel  Hawthorne.     12mo,  cloth 
illustrated,  price  75  cents.  '  '''"''"' 

"A  beautiful  little  story.  It  will  be  read  with  delight  by  every  child 
into  whose  hands  It  Is  placed."— Gazette,  u^nsui.  uy  every  cnua 

My  Dog  Plato:  Eis  Adventures  and  Impressions.     By 

H.  M.  Cornwall  Lbgh.     12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 
"A  capital  story    and   one  we  heartUy  commend  to  boy  readers,   both 
gentle  and  simple." — Guardian.  »v*cio,    uum 

Squib  and  His  Friends.     A  Story  for  Children.     By 

Ellkn  Everett  Green.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  ?^  cents. 
"This  book  will  please  by  Its  simplicity.  Its  tenderness,  and  Us  healthy 
Interesting  motive.     It  is  admirably  written." — Scotsman. 

Tom's   Opinion.     The   Story   of  a   Boys'   School.     By 

the  author  of  "  Miss  Toosey's  Mission."    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75c. 
"A    beautiful   little    story.     ...     It    will    be    read    with    delight    by 
every  boy  Into  whose  hands  it  Is  placed." — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

Robin's   Ride.     A   Story  for   Children.     By   Ellinoe 

D.  Adams.    12ino,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"It  Is  a  first-rate  boys'  book.  It  is  a  capital  story;  the  charaetere  arc 
well  drawn,  and  the  Incidents  are  perfectly  natural." — Times. 

Peter   and   Tom.     A   Story   for  Boys.     By  Belle   S. 

Cragin.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

Peter  and  Tom  were  unlikely  heroes,  particularly  In  the  direction  of 
heroism,  but  the  proper  chord  was  touched  in  each  of  their  lives,  and 
through  many  trials  and  adventures  they  developed  Christian  principles  and 
successful  business  traits. 

Nurse   Heatherdale's    Story.     By   Mrs.  Molesworth. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"  'NuTse  Heatherdale's  Story'  Is  all  about  a  small  boy,  who  was  go(  J 
enough,  yet  was  always  getting  into  some  trouble  through  complication* 
In  which  he  was  not  to  blame.  He  Is  an  orphan,  though  he  is  cared  for  in 
a  way  by  relations,  who  are  not  so  very  rich,  yet  are  looked  on  as  well 
fixed.  After  many  youthful  trials  and  disappointments  he  falls  into  a 
big  stroke  of  good  luck,  which  lifts  him  and  goes  to  make  others  happy." 
— Commercial  Advertiser. 

The  Last  of  the  Huggermuggers.     A  Giant  Story.    By 

Christopher  P.  Crauch.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"Fresh  and  charming  In  style,  with  fun  that  is  never  forced,  pathos 
that  is  always  genuine,  and  with  a  distinctly  wholesome  purpose,  "rhis  Is 
certain  to  be  a  favorite  with  boys." — Literary  World. 

The    Hunting    of    the    Snark.     By    Lewis    Carroll, 

author  of  "Alice  in  Wonderland."    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"Whether  as  regarding  author  or  Illustrator,  this  book  Is  a  Jewel 
rarely  to  be  found  nowadays.  Not  a  whit  Inferior  to  its  predecessor  In 
grand  extravagance  of  Imagination,  and  delicious  allegorical  nonsense." 
— Quarterly  Eeview. 

For  sale  by  all  booksellors,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.  L.  BT7BT,   52-58  Duane  Street,   New  York. 


22        A.  L.  BURT  S  DOOKS  FOli  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS, 

Alice's  Adventures  in  Wonderland.  By  Lewis  Cabeoll« 

12mo,  cloth,  42  illustrations,  price  75  cents. 

"From  first  to  last,  almost  without  exception,  this  story  Is  delightfully 
droll,  humorous  and  illustrated  in  harmony  with  the  story." — ^Mow  York 
Express. 

Through  the  Looking  Glass,  and  What  Alice  Found 

There.    By  Lr.T?is  CiRKoi.^.    12mo,  cloth,  50  illustrations,  price  75  cents. 
"A  delight  alike  to  the  young  people  and  their  elders,  extremely  funny 
both  in  text  and  Illustrations."— Boston  Express. 

Little   Luc3r*s   Wonderful   Globe.     By  Charlotte   M. 

YoNGE.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"This  story  is  unique  among  tales  intended  for  children,  alike  for  pleas- 
ant instruction,  quaintness  of  humor,  gentle  pathos,  and  the  subtlety  with 
which  lessons  moral  and  otherwise  are  conveyed  to  children,  and  perhaps 
to  their  seniors  as  well." — The  Spectator. 

Joan's  Adventures  at  the  North  Pole  and  Elsewhere. 

By  Alice  Corkran.    ]2mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 

"Wonderful  as  the  adventures  of  Joan  are.  it  must  be  admitted  that 
they  are  very  naturally  worked  out  and  very  plausibly  presented.  Alto- 
gether this  is  an  excellent  story  for  girls." — Saturday  Review. 

Count  Up  the  Sunny  Days :    A  Story  for  Girls  and  Boys. 

By  C.  A.  Jones.    12uio,-  cloth,  illustrated,  price  75  cents. 
"An   unusually   good   children's   story." — Glasgow  Herald. 

The  Heir  of  Redclyffe.     By  Chaelotte   M.   Yonge. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  81.00. 

"A  narrative  full  of  interest  from  first  to  last.  It  Is  told  clearly  and  in 
a  straightforward  manner,  and  arrests  the  attention  of  the  reader  at  once, 
so  tliat  one  feels  afresh  the  unspeakable  pathos  of  the  story  to  the  end." — 
London  Graphic, 

The   Dove  in  the   Eagle's   West.     By   Charlotte   M. 

YoNGE.    12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  81.00. 

"Among  all  the  modern  writers  we  believe  Miss  Yonge  first,  not  in 
genius,  but  in  this,  that  she  employs  her  great  abilities  for  a  high  and 
noble  purpose.  We  know  of  few  modern  writers  whose  works  may  be  so 
safely  commended  as  hers." — Cleveland  Times. 

Jan  of  the  Windmill.     A  Story  of  the  Plains.     By  Mrs. 

J.  H.  EwiNG.       12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"Never  has  Mrs.  Ewing  published  a  more  charming  volume,  and  that 
Is  saying  a  very  great  deal.  From  the  first  to  the  last  the  book  over- 
flows with  the  strange  knowledge  of  child-nature  which  so  rarely  sur- 
vives childhood;  and  moreover,  with  inexhaustible  quiet  humor,  which 
is  never  anything  but  innocent  and  well-bred,  never  priggish,  and  never 
clumsy. ' ' — Academy. 

A  Sweet  Girl  Graduate.    By  L.  T.  Meade.     12mo,  cloth, 

illustrated,  price  $1.00. 

"One  of  this  popular  author's  best.  The  characters  arc  well  Imagined 
and  drawn.  The  story  moves  with  plenty  of  spirit  and  the  interest  does 
not  flag  until  the  end  too  quickly  comes." — Providence  Journal, 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the 
publisher,  A.   L.  BURT,   52-58  Suane  Street,  New  York. 


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